Galloping Horse Returns Home

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Advisor, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Chariot, 2 Cannons, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. 1. Red P6=5 (captures the Advisor, check, sacrifices the Soldier, threatens mate next move)

   Why it works

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

   What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

   1. Black A6+5 (captures the Soldier, threatens mate next move)

2. 2. Red P4=5 (captures the Advisor, check, the only legal reply)

   Why it works

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

   What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

   2. Black K5=4 (threatens mate next move)

3. 3. Red H7-6 (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.

   3. Black C1=4 (threatens mate next move)

4. 4. Red H6-8 (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 forNo real drawback in this position.

   4. Black C4=1 (threatens mate next move)

5. 5. Red H8-6 (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.

   5. Black C1=4 (threatens mate next move)

6. 6. Red H6-7 (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.

   6. Black C4=1 (threatens mate next move)

7. 7. Red H7-6 (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.

   7. Black C1=4

8. 8. Red H6-4 (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 C4=1 (threatens mate next move)

9. 9. Red R3=2 (captures the Chariot, sacrifices the Chariot)

   Why it works

   • Wins material: takes the Chariot.

   What to watch out for

   • Not forcing: the defender has 19 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

   9. Black P8+1 (captures the Chariot)

10. 10. Red P3=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 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    10. Black C1-1

11. 11. Red A4-5 (sacrifices the Advisor, threatens mate next move)

    Why it works

    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.

    What to watch out for

    • Gives up the Advisor; the follow-up must be exact or the sacrifice is wasted.
    • Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.

    11. Black P6=5 (captures the Advisor, check, the only legal reply)

12. 12. Red K5+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.

    12. Black C9=6 (captures the Horse)

13. 13. Red P4=5 (check, sacrifices the Soldier, 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 for

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

    13. Black C1=5 (captures the Soldier)

14. 14. Red P5+1 (captures the Cannon, check, sacrifices the Soldier)

    Why it works

    • Wins material: takes the Cannon.

    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.

    14. Black K4=5 (captures the Soldier)

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 A6+5
  • If Black plays K5=4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 4. Black C4=1
  • If Black plays C4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C4=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 6. Black C4=1
  • If Black plays C4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C4=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 8. Black C4=1
  • If Black plays C4=3 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C4=2 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 9. Black P8+1
  • If Black plays C9=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9-1 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
  • If Black plays P8=9 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 10. Black C1-1
  • If Black plays P8=7 instead: Red mates immediately with P4=5. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9=6 instead: Red mates immediately with P4=5. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9-1 instead: Red mates immediately with P4=5. 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 P4=5. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays P6=5 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
• 11. Black P6=5
  • If Black plays P8=7 instead: Red mates immediately with A5+6. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9-1 instead: Red mates immediately with A5+6. 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 A5+6. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1=2 instead: Red mates immediately with A5+6. Try it on the board
• 12. Black C9=6
  • If Black plays P8=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C9-1 instead: Red mates immediately with H4+6. Try it on the board
  • 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=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
  • If Black plays C1+1 instead: Red mates immediately with P4=5. Try it on the board
• 14. Black K4=5
  • If Black plays K4+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board

Final position

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