No. 10: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Advisors (2)

"No. 10: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Advisors (2)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 6 moves; the key first move is H8+7. 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, 2 Horses. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Horse.

Solution move by move

1. Red H8+7
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black H3-5
1. Black H3-5
2. Red H3+2 (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.
2. Black K6+1
2. Black K6+1
3. Red H7-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black H5+6
3. Black H5+6
4. Red K5=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.
4. Black A5+6
4. Black A5+6
5. Red H5+6 (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.
5. Black K6=5
5. Black K6=5
6. Red H2-4 (captures the Advisor)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Red H2-4

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 1: A5+6 2. H3+2+ K6+1 3. H7-5 A4-5 4. H5-6 H3-4 5. H6-4 H4+5 6. H4+5# Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 1: H3+5 2. H3+2+ K6+1 3. H7-5 H5+4+ 4. K5=6 A5+6 5. H5+6+ K6=5 6. H2-4 Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 3: A5-4 4. H2-1 Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 10: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Advisors (2)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H8+7 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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