Activity Icon (image only) - Queen's Move.png
 
 

Queen’s Move

How it works

Queen’s Move is a 2-player game. Here's how to play:

  • Players take turns moving a Queen on a chessboard.
  • One player places the Queen somewhere on the chessboard, and then the other player decides if they want to go first or second.

  • The Queen can only move in three directions:

    • Left
    • Down
    • Diagonally down and to the left
  • The player who moves the Queen to the bottom left square of the board wins.

In this activity, students collaborate to figure out how to beat a master (the instructor) at Queen's Move. They then explore other versions of the game with different chess pieces (Rook's Move and King's Move), seeing if they can beat an expert at these games as well.

Queen's Move intro handout

Beat a Master! handout

King's Move / Rook's Move handout

Why we like this activity

  • It’s fun! Students enjoy playing the games and figuring out how to beat a master.
  • It helps to develop algorithmic and game-theoretic reasoning.

  • It requires students to engage in mathematical habits of mind:

    • Finding and using strategies to beat a master at Queen’s Move starting from specific squares.

    • Making and testing predictions about whether you'll be able to beat a master at Queen’s Move starting from a specific square.

    • Finding and using strategies to beat a master at Queen’s Move starting from any square.

    • Understanding and explaining your strategy to beat a master at Queen’s Move starting from any square.

    • Finding and using strategies to beat a master at King’s Move and Rook’s Move.

    • Comparing and contrasting the different games.

  • It has a low floor and a high ceiling: Students can start playing Queen’s Move by trial and error, but as they play more, they have the opportunity to find a more powerful strategy that essentially allows them to “solve” the game, and then they can use similar ideas to solve other games as well.