No. 17: Retreat at an Easy Pace

"No. 17: Retreat at an Easy Pace" 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 R8+2. 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, a Advisor, a Chariot, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, 2 Chariots, a Horse, 2 Cannons, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red R8+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.
1. Black A5-4 (threatens mate next move)
1. Black A5-4
2. Red P4=5 (check, sacrifices the Soldier)
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
2. Black A6+5 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
2. Black A6+5
3. Red R8-9 (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.
3. Black H1-2 (threatens mate next move)
3. Black H1-2
4. Red C7+7 (check, sacrifices the Cannon, 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 Cannon; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
4. Black R3-9 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
4. Black R3-9
5. Red C9=7 (captures the Chariot, checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
5. Red C9=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.

2. Black A6+5
- If Black plays R8=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays K5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

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

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 17: Retreat at an Easy Pace"?

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 R8+2 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. 16: Reflect and Mend One's Faults Next puzzle: No. 18: Toying with the Hand of Fate →

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