No. 6: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (3)

"No. 6: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (3)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 34 moves; the key first move is P5+1. 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, a Elephant, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Cannons.

Solution move by move

1. Red P5+1
1. Black C9+2
2. Red C6=5 (check)
2. Black -A+5
3. Red C5-2
3. Black C9=8
4. Red C5=6
4. Black A5+4
5. Red C6+6 (captures the Advisor)
5. Black C8=5 (captures the Soldier)
6. Red H7+5 (captures the Cannon)
6. Black K5+1
7. Red K5+1
7. Black C3-1
8. Red C6=7
8. Black C3=5
9. Red C7-7
9. Black C5=4
10. Red C7=5
10. Black C4+3
11. Red K5+1
11. Black C4-3
12. Red A6-5
12. Black C4=5
13. Red E9+7
13. Black K5=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
14. Red H5-7 (check)
14. Black K4-1
15. Red H7-6
15. Black A6-5 (check)
16. Red K5=6
16. Black K4+1
17. Red C5=6
17. Black K4-1
18. Red K6-1
18. Black K4+1
19. Red A5+6
19. Black K4-1
20. Red H6+7
20. Black C5=7
21. Red K6=5 (check)
21. Black K4=5
22. Red C6=5
22. Black C7+1
23. Red C5+8 (captures the Advisor)
23. Black C7=9
24. Red K5-1
24. Black C9+5
25. Red H7+8
25. Black C9-1
26. Red H8-6 (check)
26. Black K5=4
27. Red C5=9
27. Black C9=5
28. Red K5+1
28. Black C5-2
29. Red C9-8
29. Black C5+2
30. Red C9=5
30. Black C5-3
31. Red C5+7 (captures the Cannon, the only legal reply)
31. Black K4+1
32. Red C5=1
32. Black K4+1 (captures the Horse)
33. Red C1-7 (the only legal reply)
33. Black K4-1
34. Red C1=6 (checkmate)

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 1: C9+3 2. H7-5 +A-5 3. C6=3 A5-4 4. C3=5 A4+5 5. H5+4+ K5=4 6. H4-2 C9-2 7. C5=6 C9=6 8. P5=6+ K4=5 9. C6=3 C6=7 10. P6+1 Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 2: C9=5+ 3. H5-7 -A+5 4. H7+6 C3+3 5. H6+7+ K5=4 6. C6+2 K4+1 7. H7-6+ A5+4 8. H6+8# Try it on the board
Variation 4, from move 3: K5=4 4. P5=4 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 34 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 6: Horse, Cannon, Soldier, Two Advisors and One Elephant Win by Rule vs Two Cannons and Two Advisors (3)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move P5+1 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.

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