user24838: I was playing a friend and I took her queen. She said that I didn't say "queen check" beforehand. I have never heard of this. Is it a rule?

user24854: It is just a courtesy designed to ease new players into a game with multiple rules, and your friend might have mistaken it for an actual one. Or maybe she's used to it and wanted to establish it as a common rule between the two of you. The game is supposed to be fun for everyone. Talk it out.
When I was a little kid, my parents would always say it to me when they were teaching me how to play. They still do, nowadays, but mostly as a means to tease me.

user-1: Well, there is no official FIDE rule about saying 'Queen-check', so you don't.
However, I've got something to add about chaturanga, an ancient form of chess. In it, the rook is the most powerful piece, and when it is attacked, it is considered good etiquette to call out, 'Check-rook'.

user1296: I've been playing for more than 40 years and never heard the term, casual or tournament.  Admittedly, I have less than a dozen in-person games in the last 20 years.

user7002: No, as others have said, not even (king) check needs to be announced. Queens can be traded or sacrificed. It's not possible to define precisely when the Q is under threat and needs response.
However chess softwares usually have a sound effect when king is checked. And in one blitz game, my opponent took advantage of that annoying sound!
[fen "1r3k2/p4pp1/8/8/8/P7/KPQ3P1/6q1 w - - 0 1"]

1. Qc5+! Kg8 2. Qxg1

I wished they had a Q alert.

user9188: The important part is that you and your friend agree on what to say and when. If you both agree that queen check (or gardez) is a nice thing to say, then go ahead and say it.
I suggest taking the time before your next game to clear this up.  Also, if you play any friends of your friend then ask them too what they prefer.
That being said, if your friend want to play strangers, online, in tournaments, or whatever, then they will have to get used to people not saying it.  If they try to make non-friends say gardez, they are likely to be met with a simple "no".

user24839: No.
Some people think it is polite to say 'gardez' to alert a player that the Q can be  taken.
But no rule says you have to say check nor gardez and in serious games with good players it is not done.
This gardez for Qs is just a very informal rule amongst some low level players that I have not seen in actual use for 60 years but have read about as being more common (where?) in the past.  It is possible that I never played at such a low level to encounter it; but I still believe it is rare perhaps because it is very old and now obsolete as even relative newish players do not need that alert.

user20096: The official FIDE laws of chess do not know about a queen check. Announcing a  "queen check“ might even be considered a case of "to distract or annoy the opponent“ (11.5). Even announcing a "king check“ is not recommended.
That’s for tournament chess. In informal games, it is not unusual in some groups to announce a check and a "queen check“ (by "gardez“, French for "keep attention“). Even there it is not a rule, but a courtesy. Not announcing a check or gardez is considered impolite, but you may take the queen anyway.

24838: <p>I was playing a friend and I took her queen. She said that I didn't say &quot;queen check&quot; beforehand. I have never heard of this. Is it a rule?</p>
 24854: <p>It is just a courtesy designed to ease new players into a game with multiple rules, and your friend might have mistaken it for an actual one. Or maybe she's used to it and wanted to establish it as a common rule between the two of you. The game is supposed to be fun for everyone. Talk it out.</p>
<p>When I was a little kid, my parents would always say it to me when they were teaching me how to play. They still do, nowadays, but mostly as a means to tease me.</p>
 -1: <p>Well, there is no official FIDE rule about saying 'Queen-check', so you don't.</p>
<p>However, I've got something to add about chaturanga, an ancient form of chess. In it, the rook is the most powerful piece, and when it is attacked, it is considered good etiquette to call out, 'Check-rook'.</p>
 1296: <p>I've been playing for more than 40 years and never heard the term, casual or tournament.  Admittedly, I have less than a dozen in-person games in the last 20 years.</p>
 7002: <p>No, as others have said, not even (king) check needs to be announced. Queens can be traded or sacrificed. It's not possible to define precisely when the Q is under threat and needs response.</p>
<p>However chess softwares usually have a sound effect when king is checked. And in one blitz game, my opponent took advantage of that annoying sound!</p>
<pre><code>[fen &quot;1r3k2/p4pp1/8/8/8/P7/KPQ3P1/6q1 w - - 0 1&quot;]

1. Qc5+! Kg8 2. Qxg1
</code></pre>
<p>I wished they had a Q alert.</p>
 9188: <p>The important part is that you and your friend agree on what to say and when. If you both agree that queen check (or gardez) is a nice thing to say, then go ahead and say it.</p>
<p>I suggest taking the time before your next game to clear this up.  Also, if you play any friends of your friend then ask them too what they prefer.</p>
<p>That being said, if your friend want to play strangers, online, in tournaments, or whatever, then they will have to get used to people not saying it.  If they try to make non-friends say gardez, they are likely to be met with a simple &quot;no&quot;.</p>
 24839: <p>No.</p>
<p>Some people think it is polite to say 'gardez' to alert a player that the Q can be  taken.</p>
<p>But no rule says you have to say check nor gardez and in serious games with good players it is not done.</p>
<p>This gardez for Qs is just a very informal rule amongst some low level players that I have not seen in actual use for 60 years but have read about as being more common (where?) in the past.  It is possible that I never played at such a low level to encounter it; but I still believe it is rare perhaps because it is very old and now obsolete as even relative newish players do not need that alert.</p>
 20096: <p>The official FIDE laws of chess do not know about a queen check. Announcing a  &quot;queen check“ might even be considered a case of &quot;to distract or annoy the opponent“ (11.5). Even announcing a &quot;king check“ is not recommended.</p>
<p>That’s for tournament chess. In informal games, it is not unusual in some groups to announce a check and a &quot;queen check“ (by &quot;gardez“, French for &quot;keep attention“). Even there it is not a rule, but a courtesy. Not announcing a check or gardez is considered impolite, but you may take the queen anyway.</p>
