No. 86: Strategy Decides Victory
"No. 86: Strategy Decides Victory" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 6 moves; the key first move is P4=5. 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 Cannon, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, a Elephant, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red P4=5Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black K5+11. Black K5+1 - 2. Red C4=5Why 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 for2. Black E7-52. Black E7-5 - 3. Red A5+6Why it works
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black E5-33. Black E5-3 - 4. Red -A+5Why 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 for4. Black E3+54. Black E3+5 - 5. Red P6=5Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Elephant.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for5. Black K5=45. Black K5=4 - 6. Red C5=6Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for6. Red C5=6
Variations and alternative defences
What if Black defends differently? The alternatives below were checked with the rules engine; lines marked with a mating move lose at once, the others are worth trying on the analysis board.
- 1. Black K5+1
- If Black plays K5=4 instead: Red mates immediately with P6+1. Try it on the board
- 3. Black E5-3
- If Black plays E5-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays E5+7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays E5+3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 5. Black K5=4
- If Black plays K5-1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 6 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 86: Strategy Decides Victory"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
6 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move P4=5 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. 83: Beauty That Sinks Fish and Drops Geese
- No. 84: Two Dragonflies Skim the Water
- No. 85: A Steed Is Not Prized for Strength
- No. 87: Digging a Channel to Draw Water
- No. 88: Edge Soldier Wins the Day
- No. 89: Seven Powers Vie for Supremacy
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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