No. 33: Plans Decide Battles a Thousand Miles Away

No. 33: Plans Decide Battles a Thousand Miles Away楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒炮相馬象卒象傌俥士俥士將炮

"No. 33: Plans Decide Battles a Thousand Miles Away" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 16 moves; the key first move is R2+1. 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, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R2+1 (check)
    1. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒炮相馬象卒象傌俥士將士俥炮
    1. Black K6+1
  2. 2. Red C5+6 (captures the Advisor, sacrifices the Cannon)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    What to watch out for
    • Gives up the Cannon; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    • Not forcing: the defender has 38 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    2. Black A4+5 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒相馬象卒象傌俥士將俥炮
    2. Black A4+5
  3. 3. Red R2-1 (check)
    3. Black K6-1 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒相馬象卒象傌俥士俥將炮
    3. Black K6-1
  4. 4. Red H1+2 (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.
    4. Black E5-7 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒相馬象卒俥士俥將象傌炮
    4. Black E5-7
  5. 5. Red R7+1 (check, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Takes away the General's escape squares.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5. Black A5-4 (threatens mate next move)
    5楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車仕車卒相馬象卒俥俥士將象傌炮
    5. Black A5-4
  6. 6. Red R7=6 (captures the Advisor, 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.
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    • 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.
    6. Black R4-8 (captures the Chariot)
    6楚河 漢界帥仕相砲仕車卒相馬象卒俥車將象傌炮
    6. Black R4-8
  7. 7. Red R2=5 (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 37 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    7. Black R6=5 (captures the Advisor, check, threatens mate next move)
    7楚河 漢界帥仕相砲車卒相馬象卒俥車將象傌炮
    7. Black R6=5
  8. 8. Red K5+1 (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 27 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    8. Black H8+6 (check)
    8楚河 漢界仕相砲帥卒相馬象卒俥車將象傌炮
    8. Black H8+6
  9. 9. Red K5-1 (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 30 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    9. Black H6+4 (check)
    9楚河 漢界帥仕相砲卒馬相象卒俥車將象傌炮
    9. Black H6+4
  10. 10. Red K5+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.
    10. Black H4+3 (check)
    10楚河 漢界馬仕相砲帥卒相象卒俥車將象傌炮
    10. Black H4+3
  11. 11. Red K5-1 (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 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    11. Black H3-4 (check)
    11楚河 漢界帥仕相砲卒馬相象卒俥車將象傌炮
    11. Black H3-4
  12. 12. Red K5+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.
    12. Black H4-6 (check)
    12楚河 漢界仕相砲帥卒相馬象卒俥車將象傌炮
    12. Black H4-6
  13. 13. Red K5-1 (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 30 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    13. Black H6+7 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    13楚河 漢界帥仕相砲馬卒相象卒俥車將象傌炮
    13. Black H6+7
  14. 14. Red K5+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 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    14. Black R4+8 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    14楚河 漢界仕相砲車帥馬卒相象卒俥將象傌炮
    14. Black R4+8
  15. 15. Red K5=6 (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 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    15. Black H7-6
    15楚河 漢界仕相砲帥卒相馬象卒俥將象傌炮
    15. Black H7-6
  16. 16. Red H2-3 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    16楚河 漢界仕相砲帥卒相馬象卒傌俥將象炮
    16. Red H2-3

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界仕相砲帥卒相馬象卒傌俥將象炮

Red wins after 16 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 33: Plans Decide Battles a Thousand Miles Away"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R2+1 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. 32: Soldiers and Horses Like CloudsNext puzzle: No. 34: Stealing Leisure Amid Haste →

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