No. 11: Horse and High Soldier Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor (1)

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Horse, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Advisor, 2 Elephants.

Solution move by move

1. 1. Red P5=6 (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 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   1. Black A4+5

2. 2. Red P6=7

   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

3. 3. Red P7+1 (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 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   3. Black A4+5

4. 4. Red P7+1 (check)

   4. Black K4-1

5. 5. Red H8-7

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   5. Black -E+5

6. 6. Red P7=6 (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.

   6. Black K4=5

7. 7. Red H7-5

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   7. Black E7-9

8. 8. Red K5=4

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   8. Black A5-4

9. 9. Red H5+3

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   9. Black E9+7

10. 10. Red H3-1

    Why it works–

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    10. Black A4+5

11. 11. Red H1+2

    Why it works–

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    11. Black A5+6

12. 12. Red H2+1

    Why it works–

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    12. Black E5+3

13. 13. Red H1-3 (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.

    13. Black K5=6

14. 14. Red P6=5

    Why it works–

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    14. Black E3-5

15. 15. Red H3-2

    15. Black E5+3

16. 16. Red H2+1 (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.

    16. Black E3-5

17. 17. Red H1-3 (checkmate)

    Why it works

    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.

    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

Variations and alternative defences

What if Black defends differently? The alternatives below were checked with the rules engine; lines marked with a mating move lose at once, the others are worth trying on the analysis board.

• 1. Black A4+5
  • If Black plays +E-9 instead: Red mates immediately with P6+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays +E-5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays -E+9 instead: Red mates immediately with P6+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays -E+5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 2. Black A5-4
  • If Black plays +E-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays +E-5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays -E+9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 3. Black A4+5
  • If Black plays +E-9 instead: Red mates immediately with P7=6. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays +E-5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays -E+9 instead: Red mates immediately with P7=6. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays -E+5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 4. Black K4-1
  • If Black plays K4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 5. Black -E+5
  • If Black plays +E-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays +E-5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with P7+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+6 instead: Red mates immediately with P7+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+4 instead: Red mates immediately with P7+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays K4=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 7. Black E7-9
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with H5+4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 8. Black A5-4
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E9-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E9+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with H5+4. Try it on the board
• 9. Black E9+7
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E9-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A4+5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 10. Black A4+5
  • If Black plays E7-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 11. Black A5+6
  • If Black plays E7-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5-4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 12. Black E5+3
  • If Black plays E7-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A6-5 instead: Red mates immediately with H1-3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays K5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 14. Black E3-5
  • If Black plays E3-1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E7-9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E7-5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 15. Black E5+3
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E5-3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 16. Black E3-5
  • If Black plays E3-1 instead: Red mates immediately with H1-3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E7-9 instead: Red mates immediately with H1-3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays E7-5 instead: Red mates immediately with H1-3. Try it on the board

Final position

Nearby puzzles

• No. 8: Horse and Low Soldier Win by Rule vs High Soldier and Advisor
  13 moves
• No. 9: Horse and Low Soldier Win by Rule vs Lone Horse (1)
  7 moves
• No. 10: Horse and Low Soldier Win by Rule vs Lone Horse (2)
  11 moves
• No. 12: Horse and High Soldier Win by Rule vs Two Elephants and One Advisor (2)
  12 moves
• No. 13: Horse and High Soldier Win by Rule vs Two Advisors and One Elephant
  18 moves
• No. 14: Horse and High Soldier Win by Rule vs High Soldier, Advisor and Elephant
  19 moves

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