No. 18: Toying with the Hand of Fate

"No. 18: Toying with the Hand of Fate" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 15 moves; the key first move is R2=4. 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 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Advisor, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 5 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red R2=4 (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.
1. Black R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
1. Black R7=6
2. Red C8=4 (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 for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
2. Black R6=7 (threatens mate next move)
2. Black R6=7
3. Red C4=3 (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.
3. Black R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
3. Black R7=6
4. Red C9=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
4. Black R6=7 (threatens mate next move)
4. Black R6=7
5. Red C4=2 (captures the Soldier, check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
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 R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
5. Black R7=6
6. Red C3=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
6. Black R6=7 (threatens mate next move)
6. Black R6=7
7. Red C4=1 (captures the Soldier, check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
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.
7. Black R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
7. Black R7=6
8. Red C2=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
8. Black R6=7 (threatens mate next move)
8. Black R6=7
9. Red C4=8 (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.
9. Black R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
9. Black R7=6
10. Red C1=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
10. Black R6=7 (threatens mate next move)
10. Black R6=7
11. Red C4=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.
11. Black R7=6 (threatens mate next move)
11. Black R7=6
12. Red R4+7 (captures the Chariot, 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 Chariot.
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.
12. Black C2=6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
12. Black C2=6
13. Red C8+5 (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.
13. Black A4+5 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
13. Black A4+5
14. Red C7+5 (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.
14. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)
14. Black K6+1
15. Red R1+8 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
15. Red R1+8

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 R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
2. Black R6=7
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6+3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+4. Try it on the board
3. Black R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
4. Black R6=7
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6+3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+4. Try it on the board
5. Black R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
6. Black R6=7
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6+3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+4. Try it on the board
7. Black R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
8. Black R6=7
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6+3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+4. Try it on the board
9. Black R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
10. Black R6=7
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6+3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+4. Try it on the board
11. Black R7=6
- If Black plays +P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 15 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 18: Toying with the Hand of Fate"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R2=4 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. 17: Retreat at an Easy Pace Next puzzle: No. 19: Withdrawn from the World, Unseen →

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No. 19: Withdrawn from the World, Unseen
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No. 20: Curb the Strong, Aid the Weak
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