Requesting a first strike to monarch (6)
I believe the answer is:
asking
'requesting' is the definition.
('ask' can be a synonym of 'request')
'a first strike to monarch' is the wordplay.
'first strike' becomes 's' (1st letter of 'strike').
'to monarch' becomes 'king' (king is a kind of monarch).
'a'+'s'+'king'='ASKING'
(Other definitions for asking that I've seen before include "Inviting (to an event)" , "being inquisitive" , "Direction a question" , "Appealing" , "Making request" .)