No. 111: War Sprung from Friendship
"No. 111: War Sprung from Friendship" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is R6+1. 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, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R6+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.
What to watch out for- Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black K5=41. Black K5=4 - 2. Red R9=62. Black K4=5
2. Black K4=5 - 3. Red R6+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 for- Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
3. Black K5=43. Black K5=4 - 4. Red H9+84. Black K4=5
4. Black K4=5 - 5. Red C9+7Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for5. Red C9+7
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 2: C2=4 3. H9+8+ K4=5 4. C9+7+ C4-2 5. R6+4# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 2: A5+4 3. H9+8+ K4+1 4. C9+6# Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 5 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 111: War Sprung from Friendship"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
5 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move R6+1 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. 108: Scrambling for Boats at the Crossing
- No. 109: Unable to Stop
- No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right
- No. 112: Flying Whale Swallows the Bait
- No. 113: Might Awes the Four Seas
- No. 114: Walking the Path with Steadfast Sincerity
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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