Chessy
Beat the Wayward Queen Attack with Black
The Wayward Queen Attack tries to drag you off script very early, but this exact position is a good test of calm defence. Stockfish rates this -0.16, a small plus for Black, so you are basically equal and should feel no need to force anything. Your job is simple: meet the queen with the right move, stay active, and be ready to punish loose queen adventures. Use the drill below to lock in the key reply and the common mistakes to watch for.
Play the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Kiddie Countergambit against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Play the drill to practise the key reply, then create a free account to track your progress and return to it anytime.
Create a free account →The key reply is active, not passive
In this position, the engine’s best move is Qxe5+. That is the move the drill is built around, because it immediately challenges White’s queen and keeps you from drifting into a timid defence. The continuation given in the data is Qxe5+ Be7 Qf4 Nc6, which shows the kind of practical play you should expect: quick development, active piece placement, and no panic over the early queen sortie. If White gives you the chance, take the clean move that forces the issue.
What the results say about this position
Across 2,527,427 games from this exact position, White wins 46.7%, draws 3.9%, and Black wins 49.4%. That is a very playable picture for the second player. The opening is not about surviving a disaster; it is about proving that White’s early queen move did not win anything. If you know the best reply, you are already in the kind of game where Black does well enough to be confident.
Most common White tries and how serious they are
The database shows that Qxe5+ is by far the most-played continuation, with 2,335,870 games and White scoring 47.5%. Other tries are much less common: Qf3 appears in 122,445 games with White scoring 43.2%, Bc4 in 18,640 games with White scoring 19.0%, Qf5 in 12,357 games with White scoring 30.4%, Qd1 in 8,160 games with White scoring 29.9%, and Qe2 in 6,715 games with White scoring 37.0%. In practice, that means you should be especially ready for White’s most natural queen recapture idea, but you should also punish the weaker retreats when they appear.
Mistakes you should be ready to punish
The clearest tactical lesson here is that some queen moves are simply too slow or too loose. Qf3 is marked as a mistake and loses about 1.1 pawns, while Bc4 is a blunder and loses about 6.5 pawns. Qf5 is also a mistake and loses about 2.1 pawns. In all of those cases, the better move was Qxe5+. That is the practical pattern to remember: when White leaves the queen exposed, answer with tempo and do not let them keep the initiative for free.
Results across 2,527,427 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Qxe5+ | 2,335,870 | 47.5% |
| Qf3 | 122,445 | 43.2% |
| Bc4 | 18,640 | 19.0% |
| Qf5 | 12,357 | 30.4% |
| Qd1 | 8,160 | 29.9% |
| Qe2 | 6,715 | 37.0% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move for Black in this position?
The engine’s best move is **Qxe5+**. It is the main move to learn in the drill, and the listed continuation is **Qxe5+ Be7 Qf4 Nc6**.
Is Black better after 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nf6?
No. Stockfish rates the position at **-0.16**, which means Black has a small edge in the engine’s scoring. In practical terms, the game is basically level and you should just play accurately.
Which White move is most common here?
The most-played continuation is **Qxe5+**, with **2,335,870 games**. It is also the move you need to be ready for most often in the drill.
Which White moves are the biggest mistakes?
**Bc4** is the worst one listed: it is a blunder and loses about **6.5 pawns**. **Qf5** and **Qf3** are also mistakes, so White can get into trouble quickly if the queen moves carelessly.
How many games feature the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Kiddie Countergambit?
Over 3 million Lichess games have reached the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Kiddie Countergambit position. White wins 46.7%, Black wins 49.4%, with 3.9% draws — based on real rated games.