No. 5: Chariot and Cannon Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Elephant

"No. 5: Chariot and Cannon Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Elephant" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is R5+4. 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 Chariot, a Cannon. Black has a General, a Elephant, a Chariot.

Solution move by move

1. Red R5+4 (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.
1. Black K6+1
1. Black K6+1
2. Red C9=2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black E9+7
2. Black E9+7
3. Red R5-1 (check)
3. Black K6-1
3. Black K6-1
4. Red R5-3
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 19 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
4. Black R6-5
4. Black R6-5
5. Red C2+1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black R6+4
5. Black R6+4

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 5: R6=5 6. C2=5 R5=6 7. R5=3 Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 5: Chariot and Cannon Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Elephant"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R5+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.

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