Visiting the Sage on a Snowy Night

"Visiting the Sage on a Snowy Night" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Hundred Game Manual. Red moves first and wins in 11 moves; the key first move is -R=6. 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, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red -R=6 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
The Chariot stands where it can be captured.
1. Black +C=4
1. Black +C=4
2. Red R6-2 (captures the Chariot)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 41 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Chariot stands where it can be captured.
2. Black R2+9 (check, the General has no escape square)
2. Black R2+9
3. Red C3=8 (captures the Chariot)
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.
3. Black P3=4 (captures the Chariot)
3. Black P3=4
4. Red C8+1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 36 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
4. Black P4+1 (threatens mate next move)
4. Black P4+1
5. Red C8=6 (check, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Cannon stands where it can be captured.
5. Black C1=4 (threatens mate next move)
5. Black C1=4
6. Red C2-2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black P7=6 (threatens mate next move)
6. Black P7=6
7. Red C2=6 (captures the Soldier)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 16 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black -C+6 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
7. Black -C+6
8. Red R2=4 (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 20 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
8. Black P6+1 (check, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
8. Black P6+1
9. Red R4-3 (captures the Soldier, sacrifices the Chariot, 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 Chariot; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
9. Black P5=6 (captures the Chariot, check)
9. Black P5=6
10. Red K4+1 (captures the Soldier)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 15 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
10. Black E5-7 (captures the Soldier)
10. Black E5-7
11. Red C6+6 (captures the Cannon)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Cannon.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
11. Red C6+6

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 +C=4
- If Black plays R4-2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays -C=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
2. Black R2+9
- If Black plays P3+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P3=4 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
- 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
3. Black P3=4
- 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
- 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 P7+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
4. Black P4+1
- 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 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
5. Black C1=4
- If Black plays P5=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C4=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C4=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C4=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C4=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays C4=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
6. Black P7=6
- 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 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 P7+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
7. Black -C+6
- 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 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 P6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
8. Black P6+1
- If Black plays +C-1 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+5. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-2 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+5. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+5. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-4 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+5. 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
9. Black P5=6
- If Black plays +C-1 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+8. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-2 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+8. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-3 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+8. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-4 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+8. 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 E3-1 instead: Red mates immediately with R4+8. Try it on the board
10. Black E5-7
- If Black plays +C-1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +C-4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays E3-1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays -C-1 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 "Visiting the Sage on a Snowy Night"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Hundred Game Manual.

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move -R=6 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.

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