ECO code: C20
Name: King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5
Description: The Wayward Queen Attack is an uncommon and somewhat dubious opening where White brings the queen out early with 2.Qh5, immediately targeting the e5 pawn and attempting to put pressure on Black's kingside. The characteristic feature of this move is the early queen sortie aimed at quick aggression, but it neglects development and can expose the queen to attacks by Black's minor pieces.
Characteristic: This move is aggressive yet premature, making it a risky choice. It tries to exploit Black's e5 pawn but can result in loss of tempo if Black responds accurately.
Attacking or Defensive: For White, this is an attacking move, seeking to create early threats. For Black, it is generally defensive, aiming to repel the queen's attack and gain time by developing with threats against the queen.
Center Control: The Wayward Queen Attack does not directly challenge the center beyond the initial e4 push. Instead, it focuses on direct threats against Black's pawn on e5 and the kingside, somewhat neglecting central dominance in the early moves.
This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 76 - Move #3 white