No. 132: Five Hegemons Vie for Supremacy
"No. 132: Five Hegemons Vie for Supremacy" 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 H6+4. 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 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red H6+4Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- The Horse stands where it can be captured.
1. Black C8=61. Black C8=6 - 2. Red P5+1Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Advisor.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for2. Black A6+52. Black A6+5 - 3. Red C1+1Why 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 for3. Black A5-63. Black A5-6 - 4. Red +R=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.
What to watch out for4. Black K5=44. Black K5=4 - 5. Red R7+9Why 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 R5+2Why 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 for6. Black K4+16. Black K4+1 - 7. Red R7-2Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for7. Red R7-2
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 4 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 4: 4. +R+2+ K5+1 5. C1-1+ K5+1 6. -R+7+ H2+4 7. -R=6+ K5=4 8. R7-2# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 4: H2-4 5. +R=6+ K5=4 6. R7+9# Try it on the board
- Variation 3, from move 1: A5+6 2. +R+2+ H2-4 3. +R=6+ K5=4 4. R7+9# Try it on the board
- Variation 4, from move 1: K5=4 2. +R+2+ K4+1 3. -R+8# 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. 132: Five Hegemons Vie for Supremacy"?
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 H6+4 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. 129: Boring the Wall to Borrow Light
- No. 130: Crow and Magpie Fight for the Nest
- No. 131: Guest Behind the Curtain
- No. 133: Six States Vie for Supremacy
- No. 134: Dragon Leaps From the Vast Sea
- No. 135: Welcomed on Bamboo Horses
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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