No. 43: Utter Loyalty to the Nation

No. 43: Utter Loyalty to the Nation楚河 漢界帥卒車炮砲象車傌俥砲士俥兵士炮將象傌

"No. 43: Utter Loyalty to the Nation" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is R3+3. 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 Chariots, 2 Horses, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R3+3 (captures the Elephant, check, sacrifices the Chariot)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    1. Black C7-5 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界帥卒車炮象車傌砲士俥兵士炮將砲傌
    1. Black C7-5
  2. 2. 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.
    2. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界帥卒車炮象車傌砲士俥士將炮兵砲傌
    2. Black K6+1
  3. 3. Red H4+2 (check, sacrifices the Horse, 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 Horse; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    3. Black C5=8 (captures the Horse, threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界帥卒車炮象車士砲俥士將炮兵砲傌
    3. Black C5=8
  4. 4. Red R9=5 (captures the Advisor, check, sacrifices the Chariot, 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 Advisor.
    • 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 R5-2 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界帥卒車炮象士砲車將炮兵砲傌
    4. Black R5-2
  5. 5. Red C5=4 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5楚河 漢界帥卒車炮象士砲車將炮兵砲傌
    5. Red C5=4

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 漢界帥卒車炮象士砲車將炮兵砲傌

Red wins after 5 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 43: Utter Loyalty to the Nation"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R3+3 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. 42: Stars That Never MeetNext puzzle: No. 44: Near Ones Rejoice, Far Ones Come →

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