Can A Pawn Take A Queen?

In this article, I’m going to explain to you whether a pawn can take the queen or not, in which conditions, and everything that you need to know. Make sure you read this article till the end. So let’s start our discussion!

Can a pawn take a queen? Yes, a pawn can take a queen like any other piece in chess. However, if its king is already in check and capturing the queen doesn’t save the king from check or if capturing the queen puts the king in check, then the pawn can’t capture the queen.

Check means the player’s king is attacked.

And as per the standard rules of chess, a player is not allowed to put his or her own king in check. If the player does so then it is considered an illegal move.

You can read my detailed article on can you put yourself in check.

Moreover, once your king is in check, you are not allowed to make any other move except the one that helps you to take your king out of check.

Table of Contents

When can a pawn take a queen?

1. A pawn can take a queen if its king is not in check

Here’s a random position to understand this point.

In this position, it is the white’s turn to move. So as you can see in the above image, the white pawn can capture the black queen since the white king is not in check.

2. If its king is already in check, then the pawn can take the queen but only if doing so puts the king out of check.

Here’s another random position to understand this point.

In the given position, it is the white’s turn to move. As you can see in the above image, the white pawn has the chance to kill the black queen. But wait, here the white king is in check!

So what do you think?

Will it be legal to capture the black queen using the white pawn? Yes!

This is because in the given position, although the white king is in check but still, the white king can be saved from the check if the white pawn kills the black queen.

In chess, there are actually three ways to take the king out of check:

Capturing the piece that is giving check.
Blocking the check by keeping a piece between the king and attacking the chess piece.
Moving the king to a safer square.

So here in this case, by capturing the black queen (which is the piece that is giving the check) using the white pawn, the player with white pieces can get the white king out of check as a part of the same move.

When a pawn can’t take the queen?

1. A pawn can’t take the queen if its king is already in check and capturing the queen doesn’t take the king out of check

Let’s understand this point with this random position.

It is the white’s turn to move. As you can see in the above image the white pawn has the chance to kill the black queen. But the white king is already in check.

So this time what do you think? Will it be a legal move to capture the black queen using the white pawn? No!

In this case, the black bishop is delivering the check to the white king. Capturing the black queen using the white pawn, you can’t take the white king out of check.

Hence, this move can’t be made.

2. A pawn can’t take the queen if capturing the queen puts its king in check

Here’s another random position. Let’s see!

It is the white’s turn to move and as you can see in the above image the white pawn has the chance to kill the black queen.

So can the white pawn capture the black queen? No!

In the above position as soon as the white pawn will move from its place to capture the black queen, the white king behind it will get exposed to check by the black bishop.

And you can’t put your own king in check, so here the white pawn can’t be moved.

Conclusion

So I hope you understood when you can capture any piece with your pawn and when you can’t. If you found this article helpful then please do give it a share. And if interested you can also check out my following articles.