94. Brilliant Chariot and Horse Mate

"94. Brilliant Chariot and Horse Mate" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Chariot & Horse mates. Red moves first and wins in 10 moves; the key first move is H2-4. 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 Elephants, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Red H2-4 (check)
1. Black K4-1
1. Black K4-1
2. Red R5=7 (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 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black A4+5
2. Black A4+5
3. Red R7+3 (check)
3. Black K4+1
3. Black K4+1
4. Red H4-2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
4. Black K4=5
4. Black K4=5
5. Red H2-4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black A5+4
5. Black A5+4
6. Red R7-1 (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 23 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black A6+5
6. Black A6+5
7. Red R7-2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 25 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black E7-9
7. Black E7-9
8. Red R7=5 (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.
8. Black K5=6
8. Black K5=6
9. Red R5=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 26 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
9. Black H5-3 (threatens mate next move)
9. Black H5-3
10. Red H4-6 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
10. Red H4-6

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 4 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 6: 6. H4+3+ K5=6 7. H3-2+ K6=5 8. H2-4+ K5=6 9. H4+6+ K6=5 10. R7=4 A4-5 11. R4-4 K5=4 12. R4=6 Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 5: K5=6 6. R7-1+ A5+4 7. R7=6+ K6-1 8. R6+1+ K6+1 9. H4+6 K6=5 10. H6-5 E7-9 11. R6=4 Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 3: K4-1 4. R7+1+ K4+1 5. H4-5+ E7-5 6. H5-6 K4+1 7. R7=8 Try it on the board
Variation 4, from move 2: A6+5 3. H4-5+ E7-5 4. R7+3+ K4+1 5. R7-1+ K4-1 6. R7=5 A5+6 7. H5-6 A4+5 8. R5=8 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 10 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "94. Brilliant Chariot and Horse Mate"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H2-4 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.

← Previous puzzle: 93. Horse and Chariot Roam Freely Next puzzle: No. 95: Forcing the King Up High →

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