No. 49: Striding Alone from the Camp

No. 49: Striding Alone from the Camp楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象士兵將兵象士

"No. 49: Striding Alone from the Camp" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 12 moves; the key first move is P8=7. 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, 2 Advisors, a Chariot, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red P8=7 (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.
    1. Black K4-1 (threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象士兵兵象將士
    1. Black K4-1
  2. 2. Red P7+1 (captures the Elephant, 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 Elephant.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    2. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象士將兵兵士
    2. Black K4+1
  3. 3. Red C7=6 (check, 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.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    3. Black A4-5 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象將士兵兵士
    3. Black A4-5
  4. 4. Red R5=6 (check, 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.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    4. Black A5+4 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象士將兵兵士
    4. Black A5+4
  5. 5. Red R6=8 (check, 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 forNo real drawback in this position.
    5. Black A4-5 (threatens mate next move)
    5楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲炮傌車俥仕馬象將士兵兵士
    5. Black A4-5
  6. 6. Red H5+6 (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.
    6. Black R6=4 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    6楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車俥仕傌馬象將士兵兵士
    6. Black R6=4
  7. 7. Red R8+6 (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.
    7. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
    7楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌馬象將俥士兵兵士
    7. Black K4+1
  8. 8. Red H6+7 (captures the Elephant, check, 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.
    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    8. Black H1-3 (threatens mate next move)
    8楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌馬將俥士兵兵士
    8. Black H1-3
  9. 9. Red R8-1 (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.
    9. Black K4-1 (threatens mate next move)
    9楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌馬俥將士兵兵士
    9. Black K4-1
  10. 10. Red H7+5 (check, 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.
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    10. Black H3-5 (threatens mate next move)
    10楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌俥馬將士兵兵士
    10. Black H3-5
  11. 11. Red R8+1 (check, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    11. Black K4+1 (threatens mate next move)
    11楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌將馬俥士兵兵士
    11. Black K4+1
  12. 12. Red H5-7 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    12楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌將馬俥士兵兵士
    12. Red H5-7

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.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界卒帥仕車砲車仕傌將馬俥士兵兵士

Red wins after 12 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 49: Striding Alone from the Camp"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move P8=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.

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