No. 186: Roosting Bird Startled by the Pellet

No. 186: Roosting Bird Startled by the Pellet楚河 漢界炮帥砲卒車車俥傌馬象俥炮將象

"No. 186: Roosting Bird Startled by the Pellet" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is R4+1. 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 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R4+1 (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.
    1. Black K5-1
    1楚河 漢界炮帥砲卒車車俥傌馬象炮俥象將
    1. Black K5-1
  2. 2. Red +C+1 (check, sacrifices the Cannon, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
    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.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Cannon; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    2. Black H1-2 (captures the Cannon)
    2楚河 漢界炮帥砲卒車車俥傌象俥馬象將
    2. Black H1-2
  3. 3. Red R4=5 (check, sacrifices the Chariot)
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    3. Black K5+1 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界炮帥砲卒車車俥傌象將馬象
    3. Black K5+1
  4. 4. Red R8+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.
    4. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界炮帥砲卒車車傌象俥馬象將
    4. Black K5-1
  5. 5. Red C8+9 (captures the Horse, checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    • Wins material: takes the Horse.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5楚河 漢界帥砲卒車車傌象俥炮象將
    5. Red C8+9

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.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥砲卒車車傌象俥炮象將

Red wins after 5 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 186: Roosting Bird Startled by the Pellet"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R4+1 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. 185: Bitter and Poisoned RoadNext puzzle: No. 187: Mars Retreats From Its Lodging →

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