Cannon Strikes the Central Camp

"Cannon Strikes the Central Camp" 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 +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, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, 5 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

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 9 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black R6+1 (captures the Cannon)
1. Black R6+1
2. Red C3=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
2. Black R6=7
3. Red +R=4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 46 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black C5+7 (captures the Elephant, check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
3. Black C5+7
4. Red A5-4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 57 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
The Advisor stands where it can be captured.
4. Black C1=5 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply, the General has no escape square)
4. Black C1=5
5. Red R3=5 (captures the Cannon)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Cannon.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 50 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black C5-6 (captures the Soldier, check, the General has no escape square)
5. Black C5-6
6. Red R5+5 (captures the Cannon)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Cannon.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 41 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black P6=5 (check)
6. Black P6=5
7. Red A6+5 (captures the Soldier)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 38 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black R2+3
7. Black R2+3
8. Red C4=9 (captures the Soldier, check, threatens mate next move, the General has no escape square)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
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.
8. Black R2=6
8. Black R2=6
9. Red R4+2 (captures the Chariot, check, sacrifices the Chariot, 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.
Wins material: takes the Chariot.
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.
9. Black R7=6 (captures the Chariot)
9. Black R7=6
10. Red C9-4 (captures the Soldier)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 23 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
10. Black E3-5
10. Black E3-5
11. Red C9=2 (captures the Soldier, sacrifices the Cannon)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Soldier.
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 21 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
11. Black P9=8 (captures the Cannon)
11. Black P9=8

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+1
- If Black plays R6=7 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=4. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=4. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=9 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=4. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=5 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=4. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=4 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=4. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=3 instead: Red mates immediately with C3=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 C5+7
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 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+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
4. Black C1=5
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 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+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
5. Black C5-6
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 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+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
6. Black P6=5
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 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 P8+1 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
7. Black R2+3
- If Black plays +P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays +P=2 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=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays P9+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays -P+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
8. Black R2=6
- If Black plays R7=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
10. Black E3-5
- If Black plays P8+1 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 P9+1 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 R6=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=8 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
11. Black P9=8
- If Black plays P9+1 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Black plays R6=7 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- 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

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Cannon Strikes the Central Camp"?

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 +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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