No. 137: One Horse Pacifies the Barbarians
"No. 137: One Horse Pacifies the Barbarians" 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 H6+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 Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red H6+5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for1. Black K4=51. Black K4=5 - 2. Red R5+1Why it works
- 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 for- Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
- Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black C3=52. Black C3=5 - 3. Red H5+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 for3. Black K5+13. Black K5+1 - 4. Red R2-1Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for4. Red R2-1
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 2: H3-5 3. H5+4+ K5+1 4. R2-1# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 1: A4-5 2. R5=6+ K4=5 3. R6+3+ K5=4 4. H5+6# Try it on the board
- Variation 3, from move 3: A5-4 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. 137: One Horse Pacifies the Barbarians"?
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 H6+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. 134: Dragon Leaps From the Vast Sea
- No. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses
- No. 136: Startled Swan Preens Its Feathers
- No. 138: Warlords Carve Up the Land
- No. 139: Riding Side by Side
- No. 140: Luring the Dragon Out of the Water
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