No. 7: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (4)

No. 7: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (4)楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲傌兵士砲士將

"No. 7: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (4)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 23 moves; the key first move is C5=6. Below you will find the full solution, what each move achieves, where it could go wrong, and the alternative defences.

Solve this puzzle on ChessZing →

Free, in the browser, no download.

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Cannons.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red C5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    1. Black C9=5
    1楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲傌兵士砲士將
    1. Black C9=5
  2. 2. Red H7+9
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 29 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    2. Black C3+3
    2楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲砲傌兵士士將
    2. Black C3+3
  3. 3. Red H9+7 (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.
    3. Black K5=6
    3楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲砲兵士傌士將
    3. Black K5=6
  4. 4. Red C6=4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 31 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    4. Black C3=5 (check)
    4楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲砲兵士傌士將
    4. Black C3=5
  5. 5. Red K5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    5. Black -C=4 (check)
    5楚河 漢界帥炮相仕仕砲砲兵士傌士將
    5. Black -C=4
  6. 6. Red A6-5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 31 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    6. Black K6+1
    6楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕砲砲兵士傌士將
    6. Black K6+1
  7. 7. Red A5-4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 34 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    7. Black C4-3
    7楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕砲兵士傌砲士將
    7. Black C4-3
  8. 8. Red K6=5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    8. Black C4+3
    8楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕砲砲兵士傌士將
    8. Black C4+3
  9. 9. Red H7-6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 30 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    9. Black C4=5 (check, the only legal reply)
    9楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕砲砲傌兵士士將
    9. Black C4=5
  10. 10. Red K5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    10. Black +C-3 (captures the Soldier)
    10楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕砲傌砲士士將
    10. Black +C-3
  11. 11. Red +A-5 (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.
    11. Black +C=6
    11楚河 漢界帥仕仕炮相砲傌砲士士將
    11. Black +C=6
  12. 12. Red H6-4 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 13 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    12. Black C5+1
    12楚河 漢界帥仕仕炮相傌砲士士將
    12. Black C5+1
  13. 13. Red H4+2 (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.
    13. Black C5=6
    13楚河 漢界帥仕仕炮相砲傌士士將
    13. Black C5=6
  14. 14. Red C4+4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    14. Black A5+4
    14楚河 漢界帥仕仕相炮砲傌士士將
    14. Black A5+4
  15. 15. Red H2-3
    15. Black K6=5
    15楚河 漢界帥仕仕相傌炮砲士士將
    15. Black K6=5
  16. 16. Red H3+4 (captures the Cannon)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    16. Black K5+1
    16楚河 漢界帥仕仕相炮傌士將士
    16. Black K5+1
  17. 17. Red K6=5
    17. Black K5-1
    17楚河 漢界帥仕仕相炮傌士士將
    17. Black K5-1
  18. 18. Red C4+2 (captures the Advisor)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    18. Black K5=6
    18楚河 漢界帥仕仕相傌士炮將
    18. Black K5=6
  19. 19. Red H4+6 (captures the Advisor, check, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    19. Black K6=5
    19楚河 漢界帥仕仕相傌炮將
    19. Black K6=5
  20. 20. Red C4-6
    20. Black K5=4
    20楚河 漢界帥仕仕炮相傌將
    20. Black K5=4
  21. 21. Red A5+6 (threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    21. Black K4-1
    21楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕傌將
    21. Black K4-1
  22. 22. Red H6+8 (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.
    22. Black K4+1
    22楚河 漢界帥仕炮相仕傌將
    22. Black K4+1
  23. 23. Red E9-7 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    23楚河 漢界相帥仕炮仕傌將
    23. Red E9-7

Variations and alternative defences

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

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界相帥仕炮仕傌將

Red wins after 23 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 7: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (4)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move C5=6 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. 6: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (3)Next puzzle: No. 8: Horse and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants Win by Rule vs Horse, Cannon, Advisor and Elephant (4) →

Nearby puzzles

More from Practical Endgames →

Languages: English · Tiếng Việt · 简体中文 · 繁體中文