No. 175: Circling on All Four Sides

No. 175: Circling on All Four Sides楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒俥象士傌象將炮俥砲

"No. 175: Circling on All Four Sides" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 14 moves; the key first move is R7+2. 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, a Advisor, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R7+2 (check, 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.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    1. Black A4-5 (threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒象傌象俥士將炮俥砲
    1. Black A4-5
  2. 2. Red R7=5 (captures the Advisor, check, sacrifices the Chariot, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    2. Black K6=5 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒象傌象將炮俥砲
    2. Black K6=5
  3. 3. Red H4-6 (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.
    3. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒傌象將象炮俥砲
    3. Black K5+1
  4. 4. Red H6-4 (check)
    4. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒傌象象將炮俥砲
    4. Black K5-1
  5. 5. Red H4+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.
    5. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
    5楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒象將傌象炮俥砲
    5. Black K5+1
  6. 6. Red H3+4 (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.
    6. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
    6楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒象象將炮俥傌砲
    6. Black K5-1
  7. 7. Red R6-1 (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.
    7. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
    7楚河 漢界砲帥炮馬車卒卒象象俥炮將傌砲
    7. Black K5-1
  8. 8. Red C1+9 (captures the Cannon, check, 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.
    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    8. Black E9-7 (threatens mate next move)
    8楚河 漢界砲帥馬車卒卒象俥炮將傌象炮
    8. Black E9-7
  9. 9. Red H4-3 (check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    9. Black E7+5 (threatens mate next move)
    9楚河 漢界砲帥馬車卒卒象象傌俥炮將炮
    9. Black E7+5
  10. 10. Red R6=5 (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.
    10. Black K5=4 (threatens mate next move)
    10楚河 漢界砲帥馬車卒卒象象傌俥炮將炮
    10. Black K5=4
  11. 11. Red H3+4 (check, 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 forNo real drawback in this position.
    11. Black E5-7 (threatens mate next move)
    11楚河 漢界砲帥馬車卒卒象俥炮將傌象炮
    11. Black E5-7
  12. 12. Red H4-6 (check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    12. Black E7+5 (threatens mate next move)
    12楚河 漢界砲帥馬車卒卒象象傌俥炮將炮
    12. Black E7+5
  13. 13. Red H6+8 (check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    13. Black C1-9 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    13楚河 漢界帥馬車卒卒象象俥砲傌將炮
    13. Black C1-9
  14. 14. Red H8-7 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    14楚河 漢界帥馬車卒卒象傌象俥砲將炮
    14. Red H8-7

Variations and alternative defences

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

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥馬車卒卒象傌象俥砲將炮

Red wins after 14 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 175: Circling on All Four Sides"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R7+2 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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