No. 145: Open the Gates and Await Battle
"No. 145: Open the Gates and Await Battle" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 4 moves; the key first move is C7-5. 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, a Advisor, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 4 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red C7-5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black H2+31. Black H2+3 - 2. Red C7=5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for2. Black K5=42. Black K5=4 - 3. Red R8=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 for3. Black H3+43. Black H3+4 - 4. Red R6+2Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
- Wins material: takes the Horse.
What to watch out for4. Red R6+2
Variations and alternative defences
What if Black defends differently? The alternatives below were checked with the rules engine; lines marked with a mating move lose at once, the others are worth trying on the analysis board.
- 1. Black H2+3
- If Black plays H2+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays H2+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays K5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 2. Black K5=4
- If Black plays H3-5 instead: Red mates immediately with R8+6. Try it on the board
- If Black plays K5=6 instead: Red mates immediately with R8=4. Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 4 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 145: Open the Gates and Await Battle"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
4 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move C7-5 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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 142: Seven States in Horizontal Alliance
- No. 143: Avoid Harm on Sight
- No. 144: Pure House Carries On the Arms
- No. 146: Far Hunt in the Mountain Forests
- No. 147: Fire Oxen Break the City
- No. 148: Restore Order From Chaos
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