Moving the Needle to Even the Embroidery

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, 4 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. 1. Red +C=4 (check, sacrifices the Cannon, 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 Cannon; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
   • Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   1. Black R6+2 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)

2. 2. Red C1=4 (check, 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

   • Not forcing: the defender has 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
   • The Cannon stands where it can be captured.

   2. Black R6=7

3. 3. Red P5+1 (captures the Cannon, check, threatens mate next move)

   Why it works

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

   What to watch out for

   • The Soldier stands where it can be captured.

   3. Black K6+1

4. 4. Red R1+6 (check)

   4. Black K6+1

5. 5. Red R3+2 (captures 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 for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 21 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   5. Black P4=5 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)

6. 6. Red K5=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 19 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   6. Black R2=4 (captures the Soldier, check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)

7. 7. Red R1=6 (captures the Chariot, 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 for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   7. Black H2-4 (captures the Chariot)

8. 8. Red C4=5

   Why it works–

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   8. Black P3=4 (threatens mate next move)

9. 9. Red C5-3 (captures the Soldier, sacrifices the Cannon, threatens mate next move)

   Why it works

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

   What to watch out for

   • Gives up the Cannon; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
   • Not forcing: the defender has 15 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   9. Black P6=5 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)

10. 10. Red R3+2 (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.

    10. Black K6-1 (threatens mate next move)

11. 11. Red R3+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.

    11. Black K6+1 (threatens mate next move)

12. 12. Red R3=6 (captures the Horse)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Horse.

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    12. Black P4+1 (check, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)

13. 13. Red R6-7 (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 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    13. Black P5=4 (captures the Chariot, check)

14. 14. Red K6+1 (captures the Soldier)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Soldier.

    What to watch out for

    • Not forcing: the defender has 5 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 R6+2
  • If Black plays R6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=8 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=9 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=5 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=4 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=3 instead: Red mates immediately with C1=4. Try it on the board
• 2. Black R6=7
  • If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays R6=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 3. Black K6+1
  • If Black plays K6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 4. Black K6+1
  • If Black plays R7-3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 5. Black P4=5
  • If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P4=3 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P3+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
• 6. Black R2=4
  • If Black plays P5+1 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 P6+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P3+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P3=4 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
• 7. Black H2-4
  • If Black plays P5+1 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 P6+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P3+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P3=4 instead: Red mates immediately with R3+2. Try it on the board
• 8. Black P3=4
  • If Black plays P5+1 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 P6+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=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
  • If Black plays P3=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 9. Black P6=5
  • If Black plays P6+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with R3=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P4=5 instead: Red mates immediately with R3=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P4=3 instead: Red mates immediately with R3=4. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P8+1 instead: Red mates immediately with R3=4. Try it on the board
• 12. Black P4+1
  • 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 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
• 13. 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 K6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

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