No. 16: Reflect and Mend One's Faults

No. 16: Reflect and Mend One's Faults楚河 漢界帥卒卒卒相車炮象炮卒俥俥象兵馬士將士

"No. 16: Reflect and Mend One's Faults" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570). Red moves first and wins in 8 moves; the key first move is R8=5. 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 Elephant, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, 4 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R8=5 (captures the Elephant, check, sacrifices the Chariot, the General has no escape square)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.
    • 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.
    1. Black E3-5 (captures the Chariot)
    1楚河 漢界帥卒卒卒相車炮炮卒俥象兵馬士將士
    1. Black E3-5
  2. 2. Red C8+4 (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.
    2. Black A4+5
    2楚河 漢界帥卒卒卒相車炮卒俥象兵士馬炮將士
    2. Black A4+5
  3. 3. Red C8-9
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    3. Black R9=8
    3楚河 漢界炮帥卒卒卒相車炮卒俥象兵士馬將士
    3. Black R9=8
  4. 4. Red C2=9
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    4. Black P4+1 (threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界炮卒帥卒卒相車炮卒俥象兵士馬將士
    4. Black P4+1
  5. 5. Red R9+2 (check, 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.
    • 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 漢界炮卒帥卒卒相車炮卒象兵馬俥士將士
    5. Black A5-4
  6. 6. Red R9=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 H6-4 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    6楚河 漢界炮卒帥卒卒相車炮卒象兵馬將士
    6. Black H6-4
  7. 7. Red C8+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.
    7. Black H4+2 (threatens mate next move)
    7楚河 漢界卒帥卒卒相車炮卒象馬兵炮將士
    7. Black H4+2
  8. 8. Red C9+4 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    8楚河 漢界卒帥卒卒相車卒象馬兵炮炮將士
    8. Red C9+4

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界卒帥卒卒相車卒象馬兵炮炮將士

Red wins after 8 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 16: Reflect and Mend One's Faults"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R8=5 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. 15: Deftly Ringing the War BellNext puzzle: No. 17: Retreat at an Easy Pace →

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