No. 1: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (1)

"No. 1: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (1)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Practical Endgames. Red moves first and wins in 13 moves; the key first move is H3+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 Horse. Black has a General, a Advisor.

Solution move by move

1. Red H3+4
1. Black K4=5
1. Black K4=5
2. Red K5+1
2. Black K5=6
2. Black K5=6
3. Red H4-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black A5+4
3. Black A5+4
4. Red H5+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.
4. Black K6+1
4. Black K6+1
5. Red K5-1
5. Black K6+1
5. Black K6+1
6. Red H3-2
6. Black A4-5
6. Black A4-5
7. Red H2+4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black A5-6
7. Black A5-6
8. Red H4+2 (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.
8. Black A6+5
8. Black A6+5
9. Red H2+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.
9. Black K6-1
9. Black K6-1
10. Red H3-5 (captures the Advisor)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
10. Black K6-1
10. Black K6-1
11. Red H5-4 (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.
11. Black K6+1
11. Black K6+1
12. Red K5+1
12. Black K6+1
12. Black K6+1
13. Red H4+6 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
13. Red H4+6

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 1: K4+1 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 13 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 1: Lone Horse Wins by Rule vs Single Advisor (1)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H3+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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