No. 2: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor

No. 2: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor楚河 漢界帥仕炮象象兵士將

"No. 2: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 22 moves; the key first move is P7=6. 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 Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Advisor, 2 Elephants.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red P7=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    1. Black K6+1
    1楚河 漢界帥仕炮象象兵士將
    1. Black K6+1
  2. 2. Red C2=8
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    2. Black A5+4
    2楚河 漢界帥仕炮象士象兵將
    2. Black A5+4
  3. 3. Red A5+4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    3. Black K6-1
    3楚河 漢界帥炮仕象士象兵將
    3. Black K6-1
  4. 4. Red K5+1
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    4. Black K6=5
    4楚河 漢界帥炮仕象士象兵將
    4. Black K6=5
  5. 5. Red K5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    5. Black E5+3
    5楚河 漢界帥炮仕象象士兵將
    5. Black E5+3
  6. 6. Red C8=5
    6. Black K5=6
    6楚河 漢界帥炮仕象象士兵將
    6. Black K5=6
  7. 7. Red C5-2
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    7. Black K6=5
    7楚河 漢界炮帥仕象象士兵將
    7. Black K6=5
  8. 8. Red K6+1
    8. Black E3-1
    8楚河 漢界炮帥仕象象士兵將
    8. Black E3-1
  9. 9. Red A4-5 (check)
    9. Black K5=6
    9楚河 漢界炮仕帥象象士兵將
    9. Black K5=6
  10. 10. Red C5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    10. Black K6=5
    10楚河 漢界炮仕帥象象士兵將
    10. Black K6=5
  11. 11. Red C6+7 (captures the Advisor)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    11. Black E7-9
    11楚河 漢界仕帥象炮象兵將
    11. Black E7-9
  12. 12. Red C6=4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    12. Black E1+3
    12楚河 漢界仕帥象炮象兵將
    12. Black E1+3
  13. 13. Red C4-7
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    13. Black E3-5
    13楚河 漢界炮仕帥象象兵將
    13. Black E3-5
  14. 14. Red C4=1
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    14. Black E5+3
    14楚河 漢界炮仕帥象象兵將
    14. Black E5+3
  15. 15. Red C1=5 (check)
    15. Black E3-5
    15楚河 漢界炮仕帥象象兵將
    15. Black E3-5
  16. 16. Red C5+7 (captures the Elephant)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    16. Black E9+7
    16楚河 漢界仕帥象炮兵將
    16. Black E9+7
  17. 17. Red C5=8
    17. Black E7-5
    17楚河 漢界仕帥炮象兵將
    17. Black E7-5
  18. 18. Red K6=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 K5=6
    18楚河 漢界仕帥炮象兵將
    18. Black K5=6
  19. 19. Red C8-7
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    19. Black K6+1
    19楚河 漢界炮仕帥象兵將
    19. Black K6+1
  20. 20. Red C8=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 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    20. Black K6-1
    20楚河 漢界炮仕帥象兵將
    20. Black K6-1
  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 漢界炮帥仕象兵將
    21. Black K6=5
  22. 22. Red C4+1 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    22楚河 漢界炮帥仕象兵將
    22. Red C4+1

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界炮帥仕象兵將

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

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 2: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor"?

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 P7=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. 1: Cannon and Low Soldier Draw by Rule vs Single ElephantNext puzzle: No. 3: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Advisors and One Elephant →

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