No. 112: Flying Whale Swallows the Bait
"No. 112: Flying Whale Swallows the Bait" 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 H2-4. 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 Advisors, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red H2-4Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Gives up the Horse; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black A5+61. Black A5+6 - 2. Red R6+9Why 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.
2. Black K5=42. Black K5=4 - 3. Red C9+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 E3+13. Black E3+1 - 4. Red C8+5Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for4. Red C8+5
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 1: K5=6 2. R1=4+ K6=5 3. R4=5+ K5+1 4. C8+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. 112: Flying Whale Swallows the Bait"?
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 H2-4 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. 109: Unable to Stop
- No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right
- No. 111: War Sprung from Friendship
- No. 113: Might Awes the Four Seas
- No. 114: Walking the Path with Steadfast Sincerity
- No. 115: Tilling at Shen, Awaiting the Call
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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