No. 2: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (2)

"No. 2: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (2)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 10 moves; the key first move is H4-5. 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 Horse. Black has a General, a Advisor.

Solution move by move

1. Red H4-5 (check)
1. Black K4+1
1. Black K4+1
2. Red H5+3
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black A5+6
2. Black A5+6
3. Red H3-4
3. Black A6-5
3. Black A6-5
4. Red H4+6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
4. Black A5-6
4. Black A5-6
5. Red H6+8 (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 A6+5
5. Black A6+5
6. Red H8+7 (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 K4-1
6. Black K4-1
7. Red H7-5 (captures the Advisor)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
7. Black K4-1
7. Black K4-1
8. Red H5-7 (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.
8. Black K4+1
8. Black K4+1
9. Red H7+8 (check, 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.
9. Black K4+1
9. Black K4+1
10. Red K5+1 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
10. Red K5+1

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 2: A5-4 3. H3-2 K4-1 4. H2+4 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 10 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 2: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (2)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H4-5 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: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (1)Next puzzle: No. 3: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Full Advisors and Elephants (1) →