Battle With the River at One's Back

"Battle With the River at One's Back" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Xinwu Endgame Collection. Red moves first and wins in 14 moves; the key first move is -C+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, a Chariot, 2 Cannons, 4 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 4 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red -C+5 (captures the Elephant, 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.
Wins material: takes the Elephant.
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.
1. Black +R=5 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
1. Black +R=5
2. Red P4+1 (check, sacrifices the Soldier, 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 for
Gives up the Soldier; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
2. Black K5=6 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)
2. Black K5=6
3. Red R6=9 (captures the Chariot)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 16 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black R5+1 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
3. Black R5+1
4. Red R9+1 (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.
4. Black A5-4 (threatens mate next move)
4. Black A5-4
5. Red R9=6 (captures the Advisor, 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.
Wins material: takes the Advisor.
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
5. Black R5-3
5. Black R5-3
6. Red +P+1 (captures the Elephant, 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.
Wins material: takes the Elephant.
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
6. Black K6+1
6. Black K6+1
7. Red R6=5 (captures the Chariot)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black P9=8
7. Black P9=8
8. Red R5=6 (threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
8. Black K6=5
8. Black K6=5
9. Red E7-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
9. Black P4=3
9. Black P4=3
10. Red R6-7
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 13 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
10. Black +P=4
10. Black +P=4
11. Red R6-1 (captures the Soldier, sacrifices the Chariot)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
What to watch out for
Gives up the Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
Not forcing: the defender has 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
11. Black P5=4 (captures the Chariot)
11. Black P5=4
12. Red K4+1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
12. Black P8=7
12. Black P8=7
13. Red -P+1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
13. Black K5=6
13. Black K5=6
14. Red -P=4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
14. Black A6-5
14. Black A6-5

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.

3. Black R5+1
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P9+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P9=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
7. Black P9=8
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P9+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P3+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
8. Black K6=5
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R6-1. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: Red mates immediately with R6-1. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R6-1. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=9 instead: Red mates immediately with R6-1. Try it on the board
9. Black P4=3
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
10. Black +P=4
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
11. Black P5=4
- If Black plays P5+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P3+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
12. Black P8=7
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P8=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P3+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
13. Black K5=6
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
14. Black A6-5
- If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P7=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Battle With the River at One's Back"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Xinwu Endgame Collection.

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move -C+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: Rats Fight for the Hole Next puzzle: Greasing the Chariot, Feeding the Horses →

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