No. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses
"No. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses" 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 H1+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 Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red H1+2Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for1. Black K6=51. Black K6=5 - 2. Red H8+7Why 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 for2. Black K5=42. Black K5=4 - 3. Red P8=7Why 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 K4+13. Black K4+1 - 4. Red H2-4Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out for- The Horse stands where it can be captured.
4. Black H6-54. Black H6-5 - 5. Red C8+3Why 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 for5. Black K4+15. Black K4+1 - 6. Red P5=6Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for6. Red P5=6
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 4: A5+6 5. C8+3+ K4+1 6. R2=4+ Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 1: K6+1 2. H8+6+ A5+4 3. R2=4+ K6=5 4. C8=5+ K5=4 5. H2+4+ K4-1 6. P8=7# 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. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses"?
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 H1+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. 132: Five Hegemons Vie for Supremacy
- No. 133: Six States Vie for Supremacy
- No. 134: Dragon Leaps From the Vast Sea
- No. 136: Startled Swan Preens Its Feathers
- No. 137: One Horse Pacifies the Barbarians
- No. 138: Warlords Carve Up the Land
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