themes

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. She ends up teaching her niece chess, just like her uncle taught her.