No. 76: Languid Orioles, Idle Butterflies

"No. 76: Languid Orioles, Idle Butterflies" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 9 moves; the key first move is P6+1. 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 Horse, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red P6+1 (check)
1. Black K4=5 (threatens mate next move)
1. Black K4=5
2. Red H6+4 (check)
2. Black K5-1 (threatens mate next move)
2. Black K5-1
3. Red H4+3 (check)
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black K5=6 (threatens mate next move)
3. Black K5=6
4. Red H3-5 (check)
4. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)
4. Black K6+1
5. Red H5-3 (check)
5. Black K6-1 (threatens mate next move)
5. Black K6-1
6. Red H3+2 (check)
6. Black K6=5 (threatens mate next move)
6. Black K6=5
7. Red H2-4 (check)
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
7. Black K5+1
8. Red P6+1 (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.
8. Black K5=6 (threatens mate next move)
8. Black K5=6
9. Red C3=4 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
9. Red C3=4

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 3: K5-1 4. C1+5+ A6+5 5. C3=5+ A5+6 6. P6=5+ A4+5 7. H3+2# Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 9 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 76: Languid Orioles, Idle Butterflies"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move P6+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.

← Previous puzzle: No. 75: The Mighty Chief Yields in His Heart Next puzzle: No. 77: Two Butterflies Tumble in the Wind →

Nearby puzzles

No. 73: Fish Leaps in the Deep
14 moves
No. 74: Climbing High, Treading Danger
11 moves
No. 75: The Mighty Chief Yields in His Heart
5 moves
No. 77: Two Butterflies Tumble in the Wind
21 moves
No. 78: Churning Rivers and Seas
14 moves
No. 79: Four and Seven Side by Side
14 moves

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