No. 133: Six States Vie for Supremacy
"No. 133: Six States Vie for Supremacy" 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 R4+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, a Chariot, 2 Horses, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R4+3Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
What to watch out for- Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black K5=61. Black K5=6 - 2. Red H1+2Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for2. Black K6+12. Black K6+1 - 3. Red P6=5Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for3. Black H7-53. Black H7-5 - 4. Red H7+6Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for4. Red H7+6
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 2: K6=5 3. P6+1+ A5-4 4. H2-4+ K5=6 5. C2=4# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 1: H7-6 2. P6=5# Try it on the board
- Variation 3, from move 1: A5-6 2. P6+1# 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. 133: Six States Vie for Supremacy"?
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 R4+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. 130: Crow and Magpie Fight for the Nest
- No. 131: Guest Behind the Curtain
- No. 132: Five Hegemons Vie for Supremacy
- No. 134: Dragon Leaps From the Vast Sea
- No. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses
- No. 136: Startled Swan Preens Its Feathers
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