user16079: So I have a game board as follows where my opponent moved their bishop to be openly captured by my queen. 

Is there any reason for me to not take the bishop? I can’t foresee any immediate counter moves but I don’t know if there is a trap a few moves ahead. 


user12873: No traps here, just a free piece. I'm guessing your opponent missed your Queen could take the Bishop.
A good way to figure out if something is a trap is to ask "What will have changed if my Queen is on g5 instead of d8"? Is there some kind of tactic against the Queen on that square (perhaps a discovered attack on it)? Was the Queen doing something important on d8 that it will not do anymore (such as defending the c7-pawn)?
The answers to both of these questions is no -- White has no tactics against a Queen on g5, and there is no way for White to take advantage of the Queen being missed on d8.

user7500: Imagine the position with the move Qxg5 already played. Is there anything White can do to you that you would not like?
Look for checks, captures and threats. The only check is Bb5+, which can be met by ...Nxb5, so no need to worry about that. White doesn't really have any dangerous captures or threats either, since if anything you can take on g2 next.
Since there's no reason not the take the bishop, take it and be a piece up!

user7297: It's not a trap, just a blunder. There's no way for White to take advantage of your slightly exposed queen or the unprotected knight on d4.

16079: <p>So I have a game board as follows where my opponent moved their bishop to be openly captured by my queen. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/exuO4.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/exuO4.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Is there any reason for me to not take the bishop? I can’t foresee any immediate counter moves but I don’t know if there is a trap a few moves ahead. </p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/uuYSk.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/uuYSk.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
 12873: <p>No traps here, just a free piece. I'm guessing your opponent missed your Queen could take the Bishop.</p>

<p>A good way to figure out if something is a trap is to ask "What will have changed if my Queen is on g5 instead of d8"? Is there some kind of tactic against the Queen on that square (perhaps a discovered attack on it)? Was the Queen doing something important on d8 that it will not do anymore (such as defending the c7-pawn)?</p>

<p>The answers to both of these questions is no -- White has no tactics against a Queen on g5, and there is no way for White to take advantage of the Queen being missed on d8.</p>
 7500: <p>Imagine the position with the move <code>Qxg5</code> already played. Is there anything White can do to you that you would not like?</p>

<p>Look for checks, captures and threats. The only check is <code>Bb5+</code>, which can be met by <code>...Nxb5</code>, so no need to worry about that. White doesn't really have any dangerous captures or threats either, since if anything you can take on g2 next.</p>

<p>Since there's no reason not the take the bishop, take it and be a piece up!</p>
 7297: <p>It's not a trap, just a blunder. There's no way for White to take advantage of your slightly exposed queen or the unprotected knight on d4.</p>
