No. 56: All Rivers Flow to the Sea

"No. 56: All Rivers Flow to the Sea" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 8 moves; the key first move is R8+9. 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, a Chariot, 2 Cannons, 4 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red R8+9 (check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
1. Black C3-4 (threatens mate next move)
1. Black C3-4
2. Red R8=7 (captures the Cannon, check, sacrifices the Chariot, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Cannon.
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.
2. Black R3-6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
2. Black R3-6
3. Red C2-6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 36 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black R5=6
3. Black R5=6
4. Red C2=4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 27 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
4. Black R3+9 (check, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
4. Black R3+9
5. Red C4=7 (captures the Chariot)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 24 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black R6-5 (captures the Soldier)
5. Black R6-5
6. Red +P+1 (threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 27 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black R6+6 (check)
6. Black R6+6
7. Red C7=4 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black E1+3
7. Black E1+3
8. Red +P=5 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
8. Red +P=5

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 4 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 3: R3+9+ 4. C2=7 R5=3 5. P4+1 R3+1+ 6. K6+1 R3=6 7. +P+1 Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 3: R3+6 4. P5=4+ K6+1 5. C2=4+ Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 4: K6=5 5. +P=5+ K5=4 6. P6+1# Try it on the board
Variation 4, from move 2: E1-3 3. C9+9+ Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 8 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 56: All Rivers Flow to the Sea"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R8+9 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. 55: Victory with Backs to the River Next puzzle: No. 57: Expanding to Fill the Six Directions →

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