No. 168: Swift as Lightning
"No. 168: Swift as Lightning" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 10 moves; the key first move is R2+9. 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, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R2+9Why 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 for1. Black A5-61. Black A5-6 - 2. Red C3+5Why 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 for2. Black A6+52. Black A6+5 - 3. Red C3-7Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Horse.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for3. Black A5-63. Black A5-6 - 4. Red C3=5Why it works
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for4. Black A4+54. Black A4+5 - 5. Red R2=4Why 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.
5. Black K5=65. Black K5=6 - 6. Red R1+1Why 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 for6. Black K6+16. Black K6+1 - 7. Red C5=4Why 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 for7. Black A5+67. Black A5+6 - 8. Red H4+3Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for8. Black A6-58. Black A6-5 - 9. Red H3+5Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out for9. Black K6+19. Black K6+1 - 10. Red R1-2Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for10. Red R1-2
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 8: K6=5 9. C4=5+ K5=6 10. H3+2# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 8: 8. H4+5+ K6=5 9. R1-1+ Try it on the board
- Variation 3, from move 4: R4=5 5. R2=4+ K5=6 6. R1+1+ K6+1 7. C5=4# Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 10 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 168: Swift as Lightning"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
10 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move R2+9 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. 165: Meet Water, Build a Bridge
- No. 166: Toppling the Enemy State at Once
- No. 167: Victory and Conquered Land
- No. 169: Lost at Yinling
- No. 170: Bound and Surrendering
- No. 171: Gains and Losses Without Constancy
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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