The queen in chess is the most powerful piece on the board. It can move any number of squares in any direction-vertically, horizontally, or diagonally- combining the movement abilities of both the rook and the bishop

. Key points about the queen's movement:

• It can move 1 to 7 squares along a rank, file, or diagonal.
• The queen cannot jump over other pieces; its movement is blocked by any piece in its path.
• It captures an opponent's piece by moving to the square occupied by that piece.
• It cannot move like a knight (which jumps in an L-shape).
• The queen starts the game on d1 for White (a light square) and d8 for Black (a dark square)

In summary, the queen moves like a rook and bishop combined, freely along ranks, files, and diagonals, as far as the board and other pieces allow

. This versatility makes the queen a critical piece for both offense and defense in chess.