White's queen comes out on move two. Defend e5 and f7, then develop with tempo on the queen and take over the game.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5
The Wayward Queen Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Qh5), also called the Parham Attack or, less kindly, the Patzer Opening, brings White's queen out on move two to hit the e5 pawn and, once the bishop reaches c4, the f7 pawn. It is best known as the road to Scholar's Mate, but it is a real opening that some strong players use as a surprise in online blitz. Black's task is simple: defend e5 and f7 first (2...Nc6, then 3...g6 or 3...Qe7), then develop while chasing the queen with ...g6, ...Nf6 and ...Nd4. Engines rate the position as fine for Black, even slightly better, but 2.Qh5 is not refuted: if Black only defends passively, White gets a normal game. This page covers the whole opening from Black's side, including the counter-traps that punish White's follow-ups; for the four-move checkmate alone, our blog has a separate guide on defending against Scholar's Mate.
Each variation below comes with a diagram and the main plan. Click "Train this opening" to drill every line with spaced repetition.
Want to drill the Wayward Queen Attack from memory? Practice your openings move by move in the free opening trainer, then come back to the variations you missed.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nf6
The standard plan. 2...Nc6 guards e5, 3...g6 kicks the queen, and when 4.Qf3 renews the threat on f7, 4...Nf6 blocks the f-file while developing. Black continues with ...Bg7, ...d6 and castles; White usually settles for Ne2, Nbc3 and d3, and Black is at least equal.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 Qe7
A simpler defense: the queen covers f7 and e5 at once, without the ...g6 weakening. Black then aims ...Nd4 at c2 and plays ...Nf6 with tempo on the queen. The queen blocks the f8 bishop for a while, so Black untangles later with ...c6, ...d6 or ...g6.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nf6 5.Qb3 Nd4
Renewing the attack on f7 with 5.Qb3? is a common club mistake. 5...Nd4! hits the queen and the c2 pawn. If White grabs the pawn with 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Qc4, then 7...b5! attacks the queen while the king attacks the f7 bishop, and Black wins a piece.
Watch the trap unfold on the board, or step through move by move. These are patterns you can punish in your own games.
The trap every beginner meets: 3...Nf6?? develops and attacks the queen but ignores the threat, and 4.Qxf7 is mate. Against an early queen, check what the queen and the c4 bishop attack together before every move.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Qxf7#
Start position
Kicking the queen too early backfires: 2...g6?? leaves e5 undefended and opens the long diagonal, so 3.Qxe5+ forks the king and the h8 rook. Play 2...Nc6 first, so e5 is protected, and only then ...g6.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 g6 3.Qxe5+ Qe7 4.Qxh8
Start position
White sometimes pushes 5.g4 to chase the f6 knight. 5...Nd4! hits the queen and c2, and after 6.Qd1 d5! Black opens lines against a king still stuck in the centre, with the g4 pawn hanging. Engines give Black a winning position.
1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nf6 5.g4 Nd4 6.Qd1 d5
Start position
Learn one set-up and stick to it: 2...Nc6, 3...g6, 4...Nf6. Before each move, check whether f7 is attacked twice.
Use the queen as a target: ...g6, ...Nf6 and ...Nd4 all gain time. Know the 5.Qb3? Nd4! and 5.g4? Nd4! punishments, they come up often at this level.
Expect sensible play (Ne2, Nbc3, d3). Don't overreach: develop, castle, and use your extra time for a central break with ...d5 when it is safe.
No. Scholar's Mate is the four-move checkmate 4.Qxf7# that can arise from it. The Wayward Queen Attack is the opening 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 itself, which goes on for many moves once Black defends correctly. Our blog has a dedicated guide to stopping Scholar's Mate; this page covers the opening and how to exploit the early queen.
It is dubious but not losing. Engines rate the position as roughly equal or slightly better for Black: the queen comes out early and gets chased, but White has no structural weakness. Against careful defense it leads to a normal game, which is why it survives as a surprise weapon in blitz.
2...Nc6, defending e5, is the most common and sound reply. Then 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nf6, or 3...Qe7. Avoid 2...g6?? (3.Qxe5+ wins the rook) and 3...Nf6?? (4.Qxf7 mate).
2...Nf6 3.Qxe5+ Be7 gives up the e5 pawn for quick development, and engines consider it playable, but it is a gamble you don't need: 2...Nc6 keeps the material and still gains time on the queen.
Drill the three or four lines on this page until the replies are automatic. ChessAtlas uses spaced repetition, so each line comes back just before you would forget it, and you meet 2.Qh5 over the board already knowing the punishment.
Aim the bishop at f7 from move 2. Bypass Nf3 and dictate the middlegame structure.
The fastest-developing 1.e4 opening. Aim the bishop at f7 and play for the attack.
A flexible, aggressive alternative to the Italian and Ruy Lopez with the Vienna Gambit attack.
Every variation above is a drill on ChessAtlas. Spaced repetition schedules each move so you never forget a line again. Free to start, no credit card.