No. 65: Pushing Open the Window to View the Moon

No. 65: Pushing Open the Window to View the Moon楚河 漢界仕帥俥卒車俥相車馬傌士象士將

"No. 65: Pushing Open the Window to View the Moon" 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 R6+7. 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 Advisor, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R6+7 (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 K6+1
    1楚河 漢界仕帥俥卒車相車馬傌士將象俥
    1. Black K6+1
  2. 2. Red E5+3 (sacrifices the Elephant)
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Elephant; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    • Not forcing: the defender has 37 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    2. Black R7-2 (captures the Elephant)
    2楚河 漢界仕帥俥卒車車馬傌士將象俥
    2. Black R7-2
  3. 3. Red R2+8 (check)
    3. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界仕帥卒車車馬傌將士俥象俥
    3. Black K6+1
  4. 4. Red R6=4 (check, sacrifices the Chariot, threatens mate next move, 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.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    4. Black A5-6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界仕帥卒車車馬傌將俥象士
    4. Black A5-6
  5. 5. Red R2-1 (check)
    5. Black K6-1 (threatens mate next move)
    5楚河 漢界仕帥卒車車馬傌俥將象士
    5. Black K6-1
  6. 6. Red H5+6 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    6楚河 漢界仕帥卒車車馬俥將象傌士
    6. Red H5+6

Variations and alternative defences

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

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界仕帥卒車車馬俥將象傌士

Red wins after 6 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 65: Pushing Open the Window to View the Moon"?

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 R6+7 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. 64: Turning the Weapons AroundNext puzzle: No. 66: Giving One's Life in Peril →

Nearby puzzles

More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →

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