Mandarin Duck Cannon Pair

"Mandarin Duck Cannon Pair" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Hundred Game Manual. Red moves first and wins in 40 moves; the key first move is R2+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, 2 Chariots, a Horse, a Cannon, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red R2+5 (check, the General has no escape square)
1. Black E5-7
2. Red R2=3 (captures the Elephant, check, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
2. Black A5-6
3. Red H3+4 (check, the only legal reply)
3. Black K5+1
4. Red H4-6 (check)
4. Black K5=4
5. Red R3-1 (check)
5. Black A4+5
6. Red R3=5 (captures the Advisor, check)
6. Black K4-1
7. Red R5+1 (check, sacrifices the Chariot)
7. Black K4=5 (captures the Chariot)
8. Red H6+7 (check, sacrifices the Horse)
8. Black C3-7 (captures the Horse)
9. Red R1=5 (check)
9. Black K5=4
10. Red R5-4 (captures the Soldier)
10. Black C3=6 (check, the General has no escape square)
11. Red R5=4 (sacrifices the Chariot)
11. Black C6+7 (captures the Chariot)
12. Red C3-1
12. Black C6=8
13. Red C3=6 (captures the Soldier)
13. Black E3+1 (captures the Soldier)
14. Red C6+6
14. Black C8-3
15. Red E3-1
15. Black C8-5
16. Red E1+3
16. Black A6+5
17. Red C6=8
17. Black A5+6
18. Red P7+1
18. Black K4=5
19. Red E3-5 (sacrifices the Elephant)
19. Black P6=5 (captures the Elephant)
20. Red P7=6
20. Black P5+1
21. Red C8=4
21. Black A6-5
22. Red C4=5 (check)
22. Black K5=4
23. Red P6=5
23. Black P5=4
24. Red K4+1
24. Black C8=6
25. Red C5=3
25. Black A5+6 (check, the General has no escape square)
26. Red P5=4
26. Black K4=5
27. Red C3-5
27. Black P4+1
28. Red P4+1 (sacrifices the Soldier)
28. Black C6+3 (captures the Soldier)
29. Red K4+1
29. Black C6=7
30. Red C3=4
30. Black A6-5
31. Red K4=5
31. Black K5=4
32. Red C4=5
32. Black A5+6
33. Red C5=6
33. Black C7-3
34. Red C6=7
34. Black C7=5
35. Red C7=6
35. Black K4+1
36. Red C6=7
36. Black K4+1
37. Red C7=6
37. Black A6-5 (check, the only legal reply)
38. Red K5=4
38. Black K4=5
39. Red C6=5
39. Black C5=6
40. Red C5+7 (captures the Advisor)

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 12 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 22: A5+6 23. C5=4 A6-5 24. C4=5+ Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 20: C8=6+ 21. K4=5 P5+1+ 22. K5=6 C6+1 23. P6=5 C6=4 24. C8=5 P5=6 25. K6+1 Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 23: 23. C8=5 K5=4 24. C5-1 C6=8 25. P6+1 A6-5 Try it on the board
Variation 4, from move 19: 19. P7=6 P6+1+ 20. K4+1 C8=6+ 21. C8=4 C6+3 22. P6=5 C6=8 23. P5+1 E1+3 24. K4=5 K5=4 25. P5=4 A6-5 26. K5-1 C8-3 27. K5+1 C8=5+ 28. K5=4 K4+1 29. K4-1 K4+1 30. K4+1 K4=5 31. P4=5+ K5=4 32. P5=4 E3-5 33. K4-1 Try it on the board
Variation 5, from move 33: 33. P4=5 A5+6 34. P5=6+ K4-1 35. K4-1 C5=4 36. P6=7 K4+1 37. K4+1 E5+7 38. K4=5 A6-5 39. K5+1 C4=5+ 40. K5=4 K4=5 41. P7=6 A5+6 Try it on the board
Variation 6, from move 16: 16. C6=8 A6+5 17. P7+1 C8=6+ 18. K4=5 C6=5+ 19. K5=4 P6=5 20. P7=6 P5+1 21. C8-2 C5=6 22. C8=6+ K4=5 23. C6=5+ A5+6+ Try it on the board
Variation 7, from move 15: A6+5 16. C6=8 C8-5 17. E1+3 C8=6+ 18. K4=5 C6=5+ 19. K5=4 A5+6 20. P7+1 K4+1 21. P7=6 K4=5 22. C8=4 Try it on the board
Variation 8, from move 15: K4+1 16. K4=5 C8-5 17. C6=8 A6+5 18. P7+1 C8=5+ 19. K5=4 P6=5 20. P7=6 P5+1 21. C8-3 A5+6 22. C8=6+ K4=5 23. C6=4 K5+1 24. P6+1 A6-5 25. P6=5+ K5=4 26. P5=4 Try it on the board
Variation 9, from move 15: C8-4 16. C6=8 C8=6+ 17. K4=5 P6=5 18. P7+1 C6=5+ 19. K5=4 P5+1 20. C8+3 K4+1 21. P7=6 C5=6 22. C8-6 K4+1 23. C8=6+ K4=5 24. C6=5 K5=4 25. P6+1+ K4=5 26. P6=5+ K5=4 Try it on the board
Variation 10, from move 15: C8=6+ 16. K4=5 C6=5 17. C6=5 P6=5+ 18. K5=4 C5=6 19. E1+3 P5+1 20. E3-5 P5=4 21. K4+1 C6-4 22. K4+1 A6+5 23. E5+3 A5+6+ 24. K4=5 Try it on the board
Variation 11, from move 15: K4=5 16. C6=5 K5+1 17. K4=5 K5+1 18. K5=6 C8-4 19. C5-6 C8=4 20. K6+1 A6+5 21. C5+8 K5-1 22. E1+3 C4+5 23. E3-1 C4=8 24. K6-1 P6=5 25. K6+1 P5+1+ 26. K6-1 Try it on the board
Variation 12, from move 11: K4=5 12. C3-1 E3+1 13. C3=6 C6+7 14. C6+4 C6=8 15. C6=5 K5+1 16. K4=5 K5+1 17. K5=6 C8-7 18. K6+1 C8=4 19. C5-4 A6+5 20. C5+8 K5-1 21. E3-1 P6=5 22. E1+3 P5+1+ 23. K6-1 C4+5 24. E3-1 C4=8 25. E1-3 P5=6 26. E3+1 Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Mandarin Duck Cannon Pair"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R2+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.

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