No. 3: Two Cannons and Soldier with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Two Horses and Two Advisors

No. 3: Two Cannons and Soldier with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Two Horses and Two Advisors楚河 漢界帥仕仕相馬相炮兵士炮士馬將

"No. 3: Two Cannons and Soldier with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Two Horses and Two Advisors" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 22 moves; the key first move is C1-4. 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, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Horses.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red C1-4 (threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    1. Black H5+7
    1楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬炮相相炮兵士士馬將
    1. Black H5+7
  2. 2. Red C1+2 (threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    2. Black A5-4
    2楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵士馬士將
    2. Black A5-4
  3. 3. Red P6=5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    3. Black A6-5
    3楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵士馬士將
    3. Black A6-5
  4. 4. Red P5=4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    4. Black H2+4
    4楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵馬士士將
    4. Black H2+4
  5. 5. Red C1=4 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5. Black A5+6
    5楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵士馬士將
    5. Black A5+6
  6. 6. Red C5=9 (threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    6. Black A4+5
    6楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵士馬士將
    6. Black A4+5
  7. 7. Red P4+1 (captures the Advisor, check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    7. Black K6=5
    7楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮兵馬士將
    7. Black K6=5
  8. 8. Red P4+1
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    8. Black H4+5
    8楚河 漢界帥仕仕馬相相炮炮馬士兵將
    8. Black H4+5
  9. 9. Red C4=5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    9. Black H7-5
    9楚河 漢界帥仕仕相馬相炮炮馬士兵將
    9. Black H7-5
  10. 10. Red C9-5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    10. Black +H+4 (captures the Advisor)
    10楚河 漢界炮帥馬仕相相炮馬士兵將
    10. Black +H+4
  11. 11. Red P4=5 (captures the Advisor, check)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    11. Black K5=4
    11楚河 漢界炮帥馬仕相相炮馬兵將
    11. Black K5=4
  12. 12. Red K5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    12. Black H5-7
    12楚河 漢界炮帥馬仕相相炮馬兵將
    12. Black H5-7
  13. 13. Red C9=5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    13. Black H7-5 (captures the Soldier)
    13楚河 漢界炮帥馬仕相相炮馬將
    13. Black H7-5
  14. 14. Red -C+8 (captures the Horse, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Wins material: takes the Horse.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    14. Black K4+1
    14楚河 漢界帥馬仕相相炮將炮
    14. Black K4+1
  15. 15. Red -C-5
    15. Black K4-1
    15楚河 漢界炮帥馬仕相相炮將
    15. Black K4-1
  16. 16. Red +C-7 (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.
    16. Black K4+1
    16楚河 漢界炮帥炮馬仕相相將
    16. Black K4+1
  17. 17. Red +C=4
    17. Black K4-1
    17楚河 漢界炮帥炮馬仕相相將
    17. Black K4-1
  18. 18. Red A4-5 (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.
    18. Black K4+1
    18楚河 漢界炮帥仕炮馬相相將
    18. Black K4+1
  19. 19. Red A5+6 (captures the Horse)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Horse.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    19. Black K4=5
    19楚河 漢界炮帥炮仕相相將
    19. Black K4=5
  20. 20. Red A6-5 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    20. Black K5=6
    20楚河 漢界炮帥仕炮相相將
    20. Black K5=6
  21. 21. Red A5+4 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    21. Black K6=5
    21楚河 漢界炮帥炮仕相相將
    21. Black K6=5
  22. 22. Red E7-5 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    22楚河 漢界炮帥炮相仕相將
    22. Red E7-5

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界炮帥炮相仕相將

Red wins after 22 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 3: Two Cannons and Soldier with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Two Horses and Two Advisors"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move C1-4 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. 2: Two Cannons, Soldier, Advisor and Elephant Win by Rule vs Cannon with Full Advisors and ElephantsNext puzzle: No. 4: Two Cannons and Soldier with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Two Horses and Two Elephants →

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