No. 4: Good General Secures the Frontier
"No. 4: Good General Secures the Frontier" 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 H6+7. 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, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers.
Solution move by move
- 1. Red H6+7Why 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 for1. Black K4+11. Black K4+1 - 2. Red R8+8Why 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 for2. Black K4+12. Black K4+1 - 3. Red P7=6Why 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 for3. Black K4=53. Black K4=5 - 4. Red H7-5Why 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 for4. Black K5=64. Black K5=6 - 5. Red H5-3Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for5. Black K6-15. Black K6-1 - 6. Red H3+2Why 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 for6. Black K6+16. Black K6+1 - 7. Red H2+3Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Elephant.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for7. Black K6-17. Black K6-1 - 8. Red H3-2Why 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 for8. Black K6+18. Black K6+1 - 9. Red R8-1Why it works
- Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for9. Black E3+59. Black E3+5 - 10. Red C5=1Why it works
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 31 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
10. Black R9-210. Black R9-2 - 11. Red H2-3Why it works
- Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
What to watch out for11. Black K6-111. Black K6-1 - 12. Red R8=5Why it works
- Wins material: takes the Elephant.
- Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for- Not forcing: the defender has 42 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
12. Black H7+812. Black H7+8 - 13. Red R5=4Why 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 for- Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
13. Black A5+613. Black A5+6 - 14. Red H3+5Why 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 for14. Black K6=514. Black K6=5 - 15. Red C1=5Why it works
- Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out for15. Red C1=5
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.
- 5. Black K6-1
- If Black plays K6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 7. Black K6-1
- If Black plays K6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 9. Black E3+5
- If Black plays A5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 10. Black R9-2
- If Black plays C8=7 instead: Red mates immediately with C1+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8=6 instead: Red mates immediately with C1+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8-1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8-2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8-3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 12. Black H7+8
- If Black plays C8=9 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8=7 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8=6 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8=4 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8-1 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C8-2 instead: Red mates immediately with H3+2. 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. 4: Good General Secures the Frontier"?
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 H6+7 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.
Nearby puzzles
- No. 1: Spirit That Swallows the Western Pass
- No. 2: Horse Tramples the Khan's Consort
- No. 3: Ram Caught in the Fence
- No. 5: Han Xin Meets the Han Lord
- No. 6: Fly Rides the Steed's Tail
- No. 7: Spring Thunder Wakes the Insects
More from Elegant Pastimes (Shiqing Yaqu, 1570) →
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