B. Chariot and Horse Class, Game 03

B. Chariot and Horse Class, Game 03楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相俥傌將象士士象

"B. Chariot and Horse Class, Game 03" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Chariot & Horse mates. Red moves first and wins in 9 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, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, a Chariot, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R2=5 (check)
    1. Black E3+5
    1楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相俥傌象將士士象
    1. Black E3+5
  2. 2. Red H8-6 (check)
    2. Black K5=4
    2楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相俥傌象將士士象
    2. Black K5=4
  3. 3. Red R5=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 19 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    3. Black E5+7
    3楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相俥象傌將士士象
    3. Black E5+7
  4. 4. Red H6+4 (check, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    4. Black K4=5
    4楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相俥象傌將士士象
    4. Black K4=5
  5. 5. Red R6+3 (check, the only legal reply)
    Why it works
    • Forcing: the opponent has only one reply, so the line cannot be avoided.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5. Black K5+1
    5楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相象將傌俥士士象
    5. Black K5+1
  6. 6. Red H4-5
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 18 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    6. Black A6+5
    6楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相傌象將俥士士象
    6. Black A6+5
  7. 7. Red R6-2
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 19 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    7. Black A5-6
    7楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相傌象俥將士士象
    7. Black A5-6
  8. 8. Red R6=5 (check)
    8. Black K5=4
    8楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相傌象俥將士士象
    8. Black K5=4
  9. 9. Red R5+2 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    9楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相傌象將俥士士象
    9. Red R5+2

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.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥卒車相卒相傌象將俥士士象

Red wins after 9 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "B. Chariot and Horse Class, Game 03"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Chariot & Horse mates.

How many moves does the solution take?

9 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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