No. 1: Cannon and Low Soldier Draw by Rule vs Single Elephant

"No. 1: Cannon and Low Soldier Draw by Rule vs Single Elephant" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 8 moves; the key first move is C2=4. 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, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Elephant.

Solution move by move

1. Red C2=4
1. Black E7-9
1. Black E7-9
2. Red C4=2
2. Black K4-1
2. Black K4-1
3. Red P4=5
3. Black K4+1
3. Black K4+1
4. Red P5+1 (check)
4. Black K4-1
4. Black K4-1
5. Red K5+1 (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.
5. Black E9-7
5. Black E9-7
6. Red P5=4 (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.
6. Black E7+9
6. Black E7+9
7. Red K5-1
7. Black K4+1
7. Black K4+1
8. Red P4=5 (check)
8. Black K4-1
8. Black K4-1

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 3: K4=5 4. K5=6 E9-7 5. P5=4 K5+1 6. C2+2 K5-1 7. P4+1# Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 1: Cannon and Low Soldier Draw by Rule vs Single Elephant"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move C2=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. 33: Horse and Two Soldiers Win by Rule vs Cannon, Two Advisors and One Elephant Next puzzle: No. 2: Cannon, Low Soldier and Advisor Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor →