No. 183: Fleeing Far to the Border
"No. 183: Fleeing Far to the Border" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 9 moves; the key first move is R6+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 Elephants, a Chariot, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Cannon, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R6+7Why 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 for1. Black K5+11. Black K5+1 - 2. Red P7=62. Black K5=6
2. Black K5=6 - 3. Red C7+4Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out for3. Black K6+13. Black K6+1 - 4. Red R6=4Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out for4. Black K6=54. Black K6=5 - 5. Red C1=9Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Cannon.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black R5=45. Black R5=4 - 6. Red K6+1Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Chariot.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black P2=36. Black P2=3 - 7. Red K6+1Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black R6=57. Black R6=5 - 8. Red E7+5Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Chariot.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
8. Black P3=28. Black P3=2 - 9. Red C9-2Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for9. Red C9-2
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 2: K5+1 3. R6=5+ K5=6 4. R5=4+ K6=5 5. C1=9 Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 9 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 183: Fleeing Far to the Border"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
9 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move R6+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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 180: Evening Birds Return to the Forest
- No. 181: Slaying the Dragon at the Sea Bottom
- No. 182: Throwing Meat to a Hungry Tiger
- No. 184: Snakes and Dragons Mixed in the Sea
- No. 185: Bitter and Poisoned Road
- No. 186: Roosting Bird Startled by the Pellet
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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