That goes both ways. I actually play sharper without my queen, not that I would deliberately sacrifice her. Bobby Fischer did this in several occasions, and so did Garry Kasparov, among other grandmasters. Given the right circumstances, one can frustrate the piss out of opponents using the knight, the bishop, and strategically placed pawns, not to mention the rooks.
I occasionally teach chess to high schoolers. One of the first things I tell them is not to bring her majesty out too early, because there are opponents who rise to the challenge and then it turns into a witch hunt. I tell them to "develop your pieces." Have the pawns dictate the course of the game, then work from there. Look at some of Alexander Alekhine's games - he perfected what came to be known as the Alekhine Defense, which emphasized use of the knights. I see those who make the mistake of thinking their queen is invincible, until they make a stupid mistake and she is caught. Once taken, they are crushed. So, I get the queen references and enjoy conversing with those who understand them.
"When do you attack the king?"
"When the queen is taken from the checkerboard!"
That goes both ways. I actually play sharper without my queen, not that I would deliberately sacrifice her. Bobby Fischer did this in several occasions, and so did Garry Kasparov, among other grandmasters. Given the right circumstances, one can frustrate the piss out of opponents using the knight, the bishop, and strategically placed pawns, not to mention the rooks.
I occasionally teach chess to high schoolers. One of the first things I tell them is not to bring her majesty out too early, because there are opponents who rise to the challenge and then it turns into a witch hunt. I tell them to "develop your pieces." Have the pawns dictate the course of the game, then work from there. Look at some of Alexander Alekhine's games - he perfected what came to be known as the Alekhine Defense, which emphasized use of the knights. I see those who make the mistake of thinking their queen is invincible, until they make a stupid mistake and she is caught. Once taken, they are crushed. So, I get the queen references and enjoy conversing with those who understand them.