No. 163: Choosing Generals, Drilling Troops
"No. 163: Choosing Generals, Drilling Troops" 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 R7=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 Chariot, a Horse, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R7=6Why it works
- 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.
1. Black K4+11. Black K4+1 - 2. Red C5=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 K4-12. Black K4-1 - 3. Red P4=5Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out for3. Black K4-13. Black K4-1 - 4. Red H4+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.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for4. Black R2=44. Black R2=4 - 5. Red P5=6Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Chariot.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for5. Black K4=55. Black K4=5 - 6. Red C6=5Why it works
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black E5-76. Black E5-7 - 7. Red C1=5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for7. Black E7+57. Black E7+5 - 8. Red P6+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 for- Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
8. Black K5=48. Black K5=4 - 9. Red -C=6Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for9. Red -C=6
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 1: C8=4 2. C5=6+ C4=3 3. P4=5+ Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 1: 1. P4=5+ K4-1 2. R7=6+ C8=4 3. C5=6+ C4=3 4. H4+6+ R2=4 5. P5=6+ K4=5 6. C6=5+ E5-7 7. P6+1+ K5=4 8. C5=6# 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. 163: Choosing Generals, Drilling Troops"?
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 R7=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. 160: Leaning on the Gate Awaiting a Son
- No. 161: Avoid Harm, Preserve Oneself
- No. 162: Zhu Yun Breaks the Railing
- No. 164: Boring the Wall to Borrow Light
- No. 165: Meet Water, Build a Bridge
- No. 166: Toppling the Enemy State at Once
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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