No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right

No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right楚河 漢界砲相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒傌卒炮象俥士將士兵

"No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 13 moves; the key first move is R4+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, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, a Cannon, 4 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R4+2 (captures the Advisor, check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    Why 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 forNo real drawback in this position.
    1. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界砲相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒傌卒炮象將士俥兵
    1. Black K5+1
  2. 2. Red H2+4 (check, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    2. Black K5=4 (threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界砲相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒卒傌炮象將士俥兵
    2. Black K5=4
  3. 3. Red R4-1 (check)
    3. Black A4+5 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界砲相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒卒傌炮象將士俥兵
    3. Black A4+5
  4. 4. Red R4=5 (captures the Advisor, check)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    4. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界砲相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒卒傌炮將象俥兵
    4. Black K4+1
  5. 5. Red C1=5 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Soldier.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 29 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    5. Black C1-6
    5楚河 漢界相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒砲炮傌將象俥兵
    5. Black C1-6
  6. 6. Red C5-2 (check, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    6. Black C1=5
    6楚河 漢界相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒炮砲傌將象俥兵
    6. Black C1=5
  7. 7. Red R5-1 (captures the Elephant, check, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    7. Black K4-1
    7楚河 漢界相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒炮砲傌俥將兵
    7. Black K4-1
  8. 8. Red R5-1 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    8. Black P4=5
    8楚河 漢界相仕帥車仕卒相卒卒炮俥傌將兵
    8. Black P4=5
  9. 9. Red P3=4
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 20 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    9. Black +P=5 (captures the Advisor, check)
    9楚河 漢界相仕帥車卒相卒卒炮俥傌將兵
    9. Black +P=5
  10. 10. Red A6+5 (captures the Soldier, sacrifices the Advisor)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Soldier.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Advisor; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    • Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    10. Black R4=5 (captures the Advisor, check)
    10楚河 漢界相帥車相卒卒炮俥傌將兵
    10. Black R4=5
  11. 11. Red K5+1 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Chariot.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    11. Black P5+1 (captures the Elephant, check)
    11楚河 漢界相帥卒卒炮俥傌將兵
    11. Black P5+1
  12. 12. Red E7+5 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Soldier.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    12. Black K4+1
    12楚河 漢界帥相卒炮俥傌將兵
    12. Black K4+1
  13. 13. Red R5+2 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    13楚河 漢界帥相卒炮傌將俥兵
    13. Red R5+2

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥相卒炮傌將俥兵

Red wins after 13 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 110: Predictions Often Prove Right"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).

How many moves does the solution take?

13 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.

What is the key move?

The first move R4+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.

← Previous puzzle: No. 109: Unable to StopNext puzzle: No. 111: War Sprung from Friendship →

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