No. 81: Tracking Down Every Trace

"No. 81: Tracking Down Every Trace" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 11 moves; the key first move is P7=6. Below you will find the full solution, what each move achieves, where it could go wrong, and the alternative defences.

Solve this puzzle on ChessZing →

Free, in the browser, no download.

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Chariot, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red P7=6 (check, sacrifices the Soldier)
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
1. Black R2=4 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
1. Black R2=4
2. Red R6+1 (captures the Chariot, 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 Chariot.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
2. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
2. Black K5+1
3. Red R6=5 (check, sacrifices the Chariot)
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
3. Black K5-1 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
3. Black K5-1
4. Red H4-6 (check)
4. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
4. Black K5+1
5. Red H6+7 (check)
5. Black K5=4 (threatens mate next move)
5. Black K5=4
6. Red H7-8 (check)
6. Black K4=5 (threatens mate next move)
6. Black K4=5
7. Red H8-6 (check)
7. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
7. Black K5-1
8. Red H6+7 (check)
8. Black K5=4 (threatens mate next move)
8. Black K5=4
9. Red H3+5 (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.
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
9. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
9. Black K4+1
10. Red H5+4 (check)
10. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
10. Black K4+1
11. Red H7-8 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
11. Red H7-8

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 10: K4-1 11. H7-5+ K4=5 12. C9=5# Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 11 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 81: Tracking Down Every Trace"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move P7=6 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. 80: Soldiers Scattered Like Stars Next puzzle: No. 82: Misfortunes Never Come Alone →

Nearby puzzles

No. 78: Churning Rivers and Seas
14 moves
No. 79: Four and Seven Side by Side
14 moves
No. 80: Soldiers Scattered Like Stars
22 moves
No. 82: Misfortunes Never Come Alone
4 moves
No. 83: Beauty That Sinks Fish and Drops Geese
5 moves
No. 84: Two Dragonflies Skim the Water
4 moves

Languages: English · Tiếng Việt · 简体中文 · 繁體中文