Crossing the Sea to Conquer the East

"Crossing the Sea to Conquer the East" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Hundred Game Manual. Red moves first and wins in 34 moves; the key first move is +C=4. 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 Chariots, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red +C=4 (check, sacrifices the Cannon, the General has no escape square)
1. Black R6+1 (captures the Cannon)
2. Red C2=4 (check, the General has no escape square)
2. Black R6=8
3. Red -R=4
3. Black R2=5 (captures the Soldier)
4. Red C4-4 (captures the Soldier, check, the General has no escape square)
4. Black R5=6 (check)
5. Red K5=4
5. Black R8+2 (captures the Chariot)
6. Red C4+7 (captures the Chariot)
6. Black R8+4 (check)
7. Red E5-3 (sacrifices the Elephant)
7. Black R8=7 (captures the Elephant, check, the only legal reply)
8. Red K4+1
8. Black R7-1 (check)
9. Red K4+1
9. Black C5+1
10. Red C4=1 (check)
10. Black C5=6 (check)
11. Red R4=7
11. Black C6+1
12. Red C1=9
12. Black K6=5
13. Red R7+6 (check, the only legal reply)
13. Black K5+1
14. Red P8+1 (check, the only legal reply)
14. Black K5+1
15. Red R7=5 (check, the only legal reply)
15. Black K5=4
16. Red R5=4
16. Black R7-6
17. Red C9+1
17. Black P2=3
18. Red R4=6 (check, the only legal reply)
18. Black K4=5
19. Red R6=5 (check, the only legal reply)
19. Black K5=4
20. Red C9=6
20. Black R7+5 (check, the only legal reply)
21. Red K4-1
21. Black R7+1 (check)
22. Red K4+1
22. Black R7=5
23. Red R5-7 (sacrifices the Chariot)
23. Black R5-1 (captures the Chariot, check)
24. Red K4=5 (captures the Chariot)
24. Black P4=3
25. Red P8=7
25. Black C6+1
26. Red K5-1
26. Black C6=1
27. Red K5-1
27. Black C1+6
28. Red C6=7
28. Black C1=3
29. Red K5+1
29. Black -P=4
30. Red C7=6
30. Black P3=4 (check)
31. Red K5-1
31. Black C3=4
32. Red C6-1
32. Black -P=5
33. Red C6-7 (captures the Soldier)
33. Black C4=1
34. Red C6+3

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Crossing the Sea to Conquer the East"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move +C=4 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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