No. 195: Fine Steed Hauling a Salt Cart
"No. 195: Fine Steed Hauling a Salt Cart" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 4 moves; the key first move is C1+6. 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, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, a Horse, 3 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red C1+6Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for1. Black A6+51. Black A6+5 - 2. Red C9=6Why 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 for2. Black K4=52. Black K4=5 - 3. Red H2+4Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out for3. Black K5=63. Black K5=6 - 4. Red C6=4Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for4. Red C6=4
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 2. H2+4# Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 4 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 195: Fine Steed Hauling a Salt Cart"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
4 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move C1+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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 192: Hearts Bound Across Two Places
- No. 193: Equal Merit, Equal Rank
- No. 194: Traps Set at Every Step
- No. 196: Snow Blocks the Blue Pass
- No. 197: Casting One's Life at the Enemy's Gate
- No. 198: Startled Bird Hides in the Branches
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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