No. 28: Schemes and Nets Shine Together

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. 1. Red P4+1 (check, sacrifices the Soldier, threatens mate next move)

   Why it works

   • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.

   What to watch out for

   • Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.

   1. Black K5=6 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)

2. 2. Red R2=4 (check)

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • The Chariot stands where it can be captured.

   2. Black K6=5 (threatens mate next move)

3. 3. Red R4+1 (check, sacrifices the Chariot, threatens mate next move)

   Why it works

   • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.

   What to watch out for

   • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.

   3. Black K5=6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)

4. 4. Red R7=4 (check)

   4. Black K6=5 (threatens mate next move)

5. 5. Red H2+3 (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.

   5. Black H9-7 (captures the Horse, threatens mate next move)

6. 6. Red C2+7 (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 E7+9 (threatens mate next move)

7. 7. Red R4+5 (check, sacrifices the Chariot, 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 for

   • Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.

   7. Black K5=6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)

8. 8. Red H6+4 (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.

   8. Black R4=6 (threatens mate next move)

9. 9. Red H4+3 (checkmate)

   Why it works

   • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.

   What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

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 K5=6
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with H6+4. Try it on the board
• 2. Black K6=5
  • If Black plays K6+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 3. Black K5=6
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with H2+4. Try it on the board
• 4. Black K6=5
  • If Black plays R4=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays A5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 6. Black E7+9
  • If Black plays A5-6 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+5. Try it on the board
• 8. Black R4=6
  • If Black plays R9=6 instead: Red mates immediately with H4+3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays H7+6 instead: Red mates immediately with H4+3. Try it on the board

Final position

Nearby puzzles

• No. 25: Danger at One's Own Table
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• No. 26: Repaying Kindness Beyond Death
  11 moves
• No. 27: Lotus Root Broken, Threads Still Bind
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• No. 29: Besieged on All Sides
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• No. 30: Populous Nation, Mighty Army
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• No. 31: In War, Swiftness Beats Finesse
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