Theo knew a thing or two about chess, this was revealed when he noticed that someone else had made the first move, and he defended the opening. Theo wandered over to the chess table to admire the finely carved pieces. Someone had moved a white pawn.
Who did Theo find out he had been playing chess with?
Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does Theo know that it was Sandy who was playing chess with him? Why is this surprising? | Sandy was not known for playing chess, but Sam Westing was. Doug had observed Sandy moving one of the chess pieces |
How did Theo win the game in the Westing Game?
Theo reveals that Sandy was the one who knew how to play chess—Sandy was about to make his last move before he died on one of the chessboards in the game room, but Theo would have won the game anyway. Ford asks how Theo won the game. Theo replies that he took Sandy’s queen.
How does the game of chess relate to the mystery?
The Judge, Theo, and Turtle are really good chess players. Each time Theo visits the Westing House he makes a move on the chess board only to find that someone else has made a move also in response to his last play. How does the game of chess relate to the mystery and the players in the game?
Why did Westing create the game The Westing Game?
Crow has been mourning the death of Violet for years—and Westing created the game to punish Crow, whom he believed was responsible for their daughter’s suicide. The heirs continue piecing together the impetus for the game and the background facts about those involved.
What happens to the heirs in the Westing Game?
With Crow arrested and Sandy dead, the heirs are shocked, upset, and confused. The heirs are divided: some feel bad for Crow, who has been arrested without any evidence that she committed murder, while others believe she herself killed Sandy by filling his flask with poison.
How is chess a motif in the Westing Game?
The game of chess is a consistent motif in The Westing Game. Chess is a game that requires forward thinking and planning, much like the actual game Sam Westing plotted. In order to play chess successfully, one has to always be one step ahead of one’s opponent, and only the player best able to predict Sam Westing’s game (Turtle) is able to succeed.
Why did Sam Westing teach her niece chess?
In order to play chess successfully, one has to always be one step ahead of one’s opponent, and only the player best able to predict Sam Westing’s game (Turtle) is able to succeed. She ends up teaching her niece chess, just like her uncle taught her.
Theo reveals that Sandy was the one who knew how to play chess—Sandy was about to make his last move before he died on one of the chessboards in the game room, but Theo would have won the game anyway. Ford asks how Theo won the game. Theo replies that he took Sandy’s queen.
The Judge, Theo, and Turtle are really good chess players. Each time Theo visits the Westing House he makes a move on the chess board only to find that someone else has made a move also in response to his last play. How does the game of chess relate to the mystery and the players in the game?
