No. 144: Pure House Carries On the Arms
"No. 144: Pure House Carries On the Arms" 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 R6+3. 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 Advisors, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R6+3Why 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 A5-41. Black A5-4 - 2. Red C2=5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- 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.
2. Black E5+32. Black E5+3 - 3. Red R3=5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- 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.
3. Black A6+53. Black A6+5 - 4. Red R5+3Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out for4. Black K5=64. Black K5=6 - 5. Red C5=4Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for5. Red C5=4
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 2: A4+5 3. H4+6# Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 5 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 144: Pure House Carries On the Arms"?
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 R6+3 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. 141: Troops Camped at Xiliu
- No. 142: Seven States in Horizontal Alliance
- No. 143: Avoid Harm on Sight
- No. 145: Open the Gates and Await Battle
- No. 146: Far Hunt in the Mountain Forests
- No. 147: Fire Oxen Break the City
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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