No. 155: Feet Tread the Heavenly Cave

"No. 155: Feet Tread the Heavenly Cave" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 6 moves; the key first move is R8=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, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, a Advisor, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

1. Red R8=5 (check, sacrifices the Chariot, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black E3+5 (captures the Chariot)
1. Black E3+5
2. Red R3=6 (threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 43 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black A6+5
2. Black A6+5
3. Red C8+4 (threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 45 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black A5+6
3. Black A5+6
4. Red H1-3 (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.
4. Black K5=6
4. Black K5=6
5. 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.
5. Black K6+1
5. Black K6+1
6. Red C1+3 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
6. Red C1+3

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 3: K5=6 4. R6+1+ K6+1 5. H1-2+ Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 3: A5+4 4. H1-3+ K5=6 5. R6+1+ K6+1 6. C1+3+ K6+1 7. R6=4# Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 2: R5=7 3. C8=5+ E5-7 4. C1+3 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 6 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 155: Feet Tread the Heavenly Cave"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R8=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. 154: Repelling the Barbarians on All Sides Next puzzle: No. 156: Three Offerings, Feet Severed →

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