No. 8: Chariot, Low Soldier and Advisor Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Advisor (2)

"No. 8: Chariot, Low Soldier and Advisor Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Advisor (2)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 7 moves; the key first move is R5+5. Below you will find the full solution, what each move achieves, where it could go wrong, and the alternative defences.

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Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Advisor, a Chariot, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Advisor, a Chariot.

Solution move by move

1. Red R5+5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black R4-3
1. Black R4-3
2. Red R5-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 13 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black K4-1
2. Black K4-1
3. Red R5=8
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 15 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black K4+1
3. Black K4+1
4. Red R8+6 (check, the only legal reply)
Why it works
Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
4. Black K4-1
4. Black K4-1
5. Red A5+6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Advisor stands where it can be captured.
5. Black R4=5 (check)
5. Black R4=5
6. Red K5=6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 15 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black R5=3
6. Black R5=3
7. Red R8-2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 16 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black R3=4
7. Black R3=4

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 6: R5=4 7. K6=5 Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 8: Chariot, Low Soldier and Advisor Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Advisor (2)"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Practical Endgames.

How many moves does the solution take?

7 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.

What is the key move?

The first move R5+5 starts the combination. Everything that follows depends on it.

Can I play this position myself?

Yes. Open it on ChessZing, where the board checks your moves and shows the solution if you get stuck.

← Previous puzzle: No. 7: Chariot, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Chariot and Two Elephants (2)Next puzzle: No. 9: Chariot and High Soldier Draw by Rule vs Cannon, Two High Soldiers and Two Advisors →