The queen is the most dynamic and powerful piece on the chess board and hence is considered more an attacking piece, though she can also offer the best of defence when needed. Careful consideration should be given to the movement of the queen so that her mobility is not curtailed.

The opponent, however, has to try and restrict her movements, and if possible, trap her by cutting off as many escape squares as possible.

In the game which follows, White opts for a rather offbeat line in the opening but Black cannot cash in. White then goes into attack mode while Black becomes too passive.

In the ending, Black is careless and virtually hands the game on a platter to White after getting his queen trapped plumb in the middle of the board.

White: Leonid Totsky (2495); Black: Alexander Zakharov (2375)
Perm, 1997
French Defence
1. e4 e6. The French Defence.
2. b3. One can only call this move bizarre as it is hardly played in tournaments. The idea during opening stages is to control the centre and develop pieces rapidly.
2. ... d5.
Black, however, plays the correct move.
3. Bb2 dxe4. If 3. ... Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. Qe2+ Be6 (5. ... Be7 6. Bxf6) 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Ng5).
4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qe2. Planning to castle on the queen side.
5. ... Bb4. If 5. ... Be7 6. Nxe4 Nxe4 7. Qxe4 Bf6 8. d4 Qd5 9. Qe3 0–0 10. 0–0–0 Nc6. Give White a good position.
6. 0–0–0 Bxc3. If 6. ... Qe7 7. Kb1 (7. Nxe4 Ba3 8. Nxf6+ Qxf6 9. d4 Bxb2+ 10. Kxb2 c5 (10. ... b6 11. Qe4 c6) 11. Qf3 cxd4 12. Qxf6 gxf6 13. Rxd4 Ke7 14. Nf3 Nc6 15. Rd2.
7. dxc3.
Interesting capture! Black now has to move his queen to safety.
7. ... Qe7 8. g4.
White now goes on the aggressive. He has given up a pawn but is ahead in development which is more than good compensation.
8. ... h6 9. Bg2 e5. If 9. ... 0–0 10. h4.
10. h3 Bd7. Developing his pieces on the queen side is proving problematic for Black. If (10. ... Qc5 11. f3 e3  12. Rd3 Nd5 13. Qd1 with White in a commanding position).
11. Qe3. This one is interesting!
11. ... Bc6 12. c4 Nbd7 13. Ne2. This knight will head to the ‘f5’ square which will be dangerous for Black.
13. ... 0–0 14. Nc3. Here 14. Ng3 appears better.
14. ... Nc5. If 14. ... Qc5 15. Qxc5 Nxc5 16. Ba3 (16. b4 Ne6 17. b5 Nf4 18. bxc6 Nxg2 19. cxb7 Rab8) 16. ... b6 (16. ... Nfd7 17. b4 Na4 18. Nxa4 Bxa4 19. b5).
15. Rhg1. White has all the time in the world to make and stick to his plan.
15. ... Rfd8 16. Rxd8+ Rxd8 17. Bh1. In preparation to advance the ‘g’ pawn and open the file.
17. ... Ne6 18. Nxe4 Nd4. Black would have been better off playing 18. ... Nxe4 19. Bxe4 Bxe4 20. Qxe4 Qg5+ 21. Kb1 Qf4.
19. Ng3. He could have played 19. Nxf6.
19. ... Bxh1 20. Rxh1 Nc6 21. Nf5. After missing a few moves, the knight finally lands on the right square, in the enemy territory.
21. ... Qe6 22. f4. Good move!
22. ... e4. A blunder! Black straightaway lands in an inferior position. He should have played 22. ... Nd7.
23. Nxg7. This knight sacrifice is not totally unexpected.
23. ... Kxg7.
Black hardly has any choice but to accept.
24. g5 Rd7 25. gxf6+ Getting back the piece and also a winning position.
25. ... Kf8 26. f5 Qd6.
Diagram 1
The queen is hopelessly placed.
27. c5 and Black resigned. For, incredible as it may seem, his queen is trapped plumb in the middle of the board!
Diagram 2
Black to play and win
1. ... Re4 2. fxe4 Qxc4+ 3. Ke3. If 3. Kxc4 Bb5 checkmate.
3. ... Qxc3+ 4. Rd3 Qc2 5. Qf1 Bb5 and Black wins.