No. 141: Troops Camped at Xiliu
"No. 141: Troops Camped at Xiliu" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 7 moves; the key first move is R2+2. 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 Elephant, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R2+2Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for1. Black E5-71. Black E5-7 - 2. Red R2=3Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Elephant.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for2. Black A5-62. Black A5-6 - 3. Red R3=4Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
- 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=63. Black K5=6 - 4. Red P3=4Why 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 for4. Black K6=54. Black K6=5 - 5. Red R8=5Why 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 Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
5. Black A4+55. Black A4+5 - 6. Red C8=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 A5-46. Black A5-4 - 7. Red C9=5Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for7. Red C9=5
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 1: A5-6 2. R2=4+ K5=6 3. P3=4+ K6=5 4. C8=5+ A4+5 5. R8=5# Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 7 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 141: Troops Camped at Xiliu"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
7 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move R2+2 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. 138: Warlords Carve Up the Land
- No. 139: Riding Side by Side
- No. 140: Luring the Dragon Out of the Water
- No. 142: Seven States in Horizontal Alliance
- No. 143: Avoid Harm on Sight
- No. 144: Pure House Carries On the Arms
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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