No. 92: Five Strongmen Carve the Road
"No. 92: Five Strongmen Carve the Road" 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 R1+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 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, 2 Horses, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R1+2Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for1. Black A5-61. Black A5-6 - 2. Red R6=5Why it works
- 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 A4+52. Black A4+5 - 3. Red C8+3Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for3. Black A5-43. Black A5-4 - 4. Red H9+7Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for4. Red H9+7
Variations and alternative defences
The source manual records 4 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.
- Variation 1, from move 3: E3+1 4. C9+1# Try it on the board
- Variation 2, from move 2: K5+1 3. H9+7+ C1-7 4. C8+2# Try it on the board
- Variation 3, from move 1: 1. R6=5+ A4+5 2. C8+3+ A5-4 3. R1+2+ K5+1 4. C8-1# Try it on the board
- Variation 4, from move 1: K5+1 2. H9+7+ C1-7 3. C8+2# 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. 92: Five Strongmen Carve the Road"?
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 R1+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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 89: Seven Powers Vie for Supremacy
- No. 90: Fine Steeds Race Ahead
- No. 91: Six States Resist Qin
- No. 93: Fish Startled by the Crescent Hook
- No. 94: Shouldering Books to Follow a Master
- No. 95: Hero's Spirit Pierces the Dipper
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