No. 54: Five Tigers Backed by the Mountain
"No. 54: Five Tigers Backed by the Mountain" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 10 moves; the key first move is R8=6. 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, a Horse, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Cannon, a Soldier.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red R8=6Why it works
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for1. Black C3=41. Black C3=4 - 2. Red R6+1Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
- 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 A5+42. Black A5+4 - 3. Red -C=6Why 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 for3. Black A4-53. Black A4-5 - 4. Red H4-6Why 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 A5+44. Black A5+4 - 5. Red H6-8Why 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 for5. Black A4-55. Black A4-5 - 6. Red H8+76. Black K4-1
6. Black K4-1 - 7. Red H7+8Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for7. Black K4=57. Black K4=5 - 8. Red C6+5Why 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 for8. Black E5-38. Black E5-3 - 9. Red H8-6Why 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 Horse; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
9. Black A5+49. Black A5+4 - 10. Red C6-1Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for10. Red C6-1
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 C3=4
- If Black plays A5+4 instead: Red mates immediately with R6+1. Try it on the board
- 6. Black K4-1
- If Black plays K4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 7. Black K4=5
- If Black plays K4+1 instead: Red mates immediately with C9-1. Try it on the board
Final position
Red wins after 10 moves. The General has no legal move.
Questions about this puzzle
Who moves first in "No. 54: Five Tigers Backed by the Mountain"?
Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570).
How many moves does the solution take?
10 moves. The main line is shown above; alternative defences are covered in the variations section.
What is the key move?
The first move R8=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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 51: Alighting to Kneel in Homage
- No. 52: Carrying Snow to Fill a Well
- No. 53: Opening the Window to Invite the Moon
- No. 55: Victory with Backs to the River
- No. 56: All Rivers Flow to the Sea
- No. 57: Expanding to Fill the Six Directions
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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