No. 2: Chariot and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants Draw by Rule vs Horse and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants

"No. 2: Chariot and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants Draw by Rule vs Horse and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 3 moves; the key first move is R9=6. 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, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Cannon. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Horse, a Cannon.

Solution move by move

1. Red R9=6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 14 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black H5-3
1. Black H5-3
2. Red R6=7
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 14 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black H3+5
2. Black H3+5
3. Red R7-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 16 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black K5=6
3. Black K5=6

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 H5-3
- If Black plays H5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5-6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
2. Black H3+5
- If Black plays H3-4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H3-2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H3+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H3+2 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+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
3. Black K5=6
- If Black plays H5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5-3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5-6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 2: Chariot and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants Draw by Rule vs Horse and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R9=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: Chariot and Cannon with Full Advisors and Elephants Draw by Rule vs Two Cannons with Full Advisors and Elephants Next puzzle: No. 3: Chariot and Cannon Draw by Rule vs Chariot and Advisor →