No. 160: Leaning on the Gate Awaiting a Son

No. 160: Leaning on the Gate Awaiting a Son楚河 漢界俥帥車卒車炮傌馬象俥士砲將士馬

"No. 160: Leaning on the Gate Awaiting a Son" 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 C3+5. 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. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, a Cannon, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red C3+5 (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.
    1. Black E5-7 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界俥帥車卒車傌馬俥士砲將士象馬
    1. Black E5-7
  2. 2. Red H2+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.
    2. Black H4-6 (threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界俥帥車卒車傌俥士馬砲將士象馬
    2. Black H4-6
  3. 3. Red R6+1 (captures the Cannon, 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 Cannon.
    • 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.
    3. Black K5=4 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界俥帥車卒車傌士馬將士象馬
    3. Black K5=4
  4. 4. Red R8+9 (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.
    4. Black R3-8 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界帥卒車傌士馬俥車將士象馬
    4. Black R3-8
  5. 5. Red R8=7 (captures the Chariot, checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    • Wins material: takes the Chariot.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5楚河 漢界帥卒車傌士馬俥將士象馬
    5. Red R8=7

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥卒車傌士馬俥將士象馬

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

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 160: Leaning on the Gate Awaiting a Son"?

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 C3+5 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. 159: Unmatched Before and AfterNext puzzle: No. 161: Avoid Harm, Preserve Oneself →

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