The alligator turtle lures unsuspecting fish into its jaws with its tongue, which looks like a tasty worm. As the fish goes for the bait, the turtle’s jaws snap shut and it’s the worm that gets the fish, as it were. With this hint in mind, try to find white’s winning combination.
Black’s army of pawns more than equals white’s bishop and shortage of pawns. But white turns the tables with Bishop to c3. The undefended bishop pins the black queen to its king. The black queen escapes the pin by gobbling up the bishop; otherwise, the bishop wins the queen.
The bishop capture has lured the queen to an undefended square. White now skewers the black king and queen with Queen to h8, check (see next diagram).
The black king moves out of check, and white’s jaws snap shut on black’s queen. The white queen is too powerful, and black’s pawns soon fall like a dead fish.
The lesson this week is the adage “Good things come to those who bait.”
Reach Eric Morrow at ericmorrowlaw@gmail.com or (505) 327-7121.
