Clear Moon and Gentle Breeze

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Advisor, 2 Chariots, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. 1. Red R2=4 (check, sacrifices the Chariot, 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

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

   1. Black +P=6 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)

2. 2. Red R1=4 (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.

   2. Black P5=6 (threatens mate next move)

3. 3. Red R4+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.

   3. Black H5-6 (threatens mate next move)

4. 4. Red R4+1 (captures the Horse, 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.
   • Wins material: takes the Horse.
   • 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.

   4. Black H7+6 (threatens mate next move)

5. 5. Red C1=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.

   5. Black H6-8 (threatens mate next move)

6. 6. Red C4=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.

   6. Black H8+6 (threatens mate next move)

7. 7. Red +P=3 (check, sacrifices the Soldier, 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

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

   7. Black C5=7 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)

8. 8. Red C5=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 H6-8 (threatens mate next move)

9. 9. Red C4=8 (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.

   9. Black H8+6 (threatens mate next move)

10. 10. Red C8+3 (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.

    10. Black R4-8

11. 11. Red P2=3

    Why it works–

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 34 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    11. Black R3-7

12. 12. Red P3=4 (captures the Horse, threatens mate next move)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Horse.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 39 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    • The Soldier stands where it can be captured.

    12. Black R3=5 (captures the Soldier)

13. 13. Red P4=5 (captures the Elephant, check)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Elephant.

    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

    13. Black R5=6

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

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Chariot.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.

    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

    14. Black K6+1 (captures the Chariot)

15. 15. Red P5+1 (check)

    15. Black K6-1

16. 16. Red C8=6 (captures the Chariot, sacrifices the Cannon)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Chariot.

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 30 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    16. Black C7=4 (captures the Cannon)

17. 17. Red P5+1 (check, the only legal reply)

    Why it works

    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.

    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

    17. Black K6+1

18. 18. Red P5=6 (captures the Cannon)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 20 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

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 +P=6
  • If Black plays -P=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays H7+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 2. Black P5=6
  • If Black plays H7+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 3. Black H5-6
  • If Black plays H7+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 5. Black H6-8
  • If Black plays H6+8 instead: Red mates immediately with C4=3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays H6-7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 7. Black C5=7
  • If Black plays E5-7 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+2. Try it on the board
• 8. Black H6-8
  • If Black plays H6+8 instead: Red mates immediately with C4=3. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays H6-5 instead: Red mates immediately with C4=3. Try it on the board
• 11. Black R3-7
  • If Black plays R3=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R3=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R3=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R3=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R3=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R3=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 12. Black R3=5
  • If Black plays C1=2 instead: Red mates immediately with P4+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=3 instead: Red mates immediately with P4+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=4 instead: Red mates immediately with P4+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=6 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1-1 instead: Red mates immediately with P4+1. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1-2 instead: Red mates immediately with P4+1. Try it on the board
• 13. Black R5=6
  • If Black plays K6=5 instead: Red mates immediately with P5+1. Try it on the board
• 14. Black K6+1
  • If Black plays K6=5 instead: Red mates immediately with P5+1. Try it on the board
• 15. Black K6-1
  • If Black plays K6+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 16. Black C7=4
  • If Black plays C1=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

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