Chariot and Horse Tie Down the King

Chariot and Horse Tie Down the King楚河 漢界帥卒車俥傌將

"Chariot and Horse Tie Down the King" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Chariot & Horse mates. Red moves first and wins in 14 moves; the key first move is H2+3. 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 Chariot, a Horse. Black has a General, a Chariot, a Soldier.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red H2+3 (check)
    1. Black K5-1
    1楚河 漢界帥卒車俥將傌
    1. Black K5-1
  2. 2. Red R4+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.
    2. Black K5+1
    2楚河 漢界帥卒車將俥傌
    2. Black K5+1
  3. 3. Red R4-5 (check)
    3. Black K5-1
    3楚河 漢界帥卒車俥將傌
    3. Black K5-1
  4. 4. Red H3-4 (check)
    4. Black K5+1
    4楚河 漢界帥卒車俥傌將
    4. Black K5+1
  5. 5. Red H4-6 (check)
    5. Black K5=4
    5楚河 漢界帥卒車俥傌將
    5. Black K5=4
  6. 6. Red R4=6
    Why it works–
    What to watch out for
    • Not forcing: the defender has 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    6. Black P4=3
    6楚河 漢界帥卒車俥傌將
    6. Black P4=3
  7. 7. Red H6+4 (check, threatens mate next move, the only legal reply)
    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.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    7. Black K4=5
    7楚河 漢界帥卒車俥傌將
    7. Black K4=5
  8. 8. Red R6+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.
    8. Black K5+1
    8楚河 漢界帥卒車將傌俥
    8. Black K5+1
  9. 9. Red H4+2 (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 14 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    9. Black R5+1 (check, the only legal reply)
    9楚河 漢界車帥卒將俥傌
    9. Black R5+1
  10. 10. Red K4+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 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    10. Black R5-1 (check)
    10楚河 漢界卒車帥將俥傌
    10. Black R5-1
  11. 11. Red K4-1 (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 14 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    11. Black R5+1 (check, the only legal reply)
    11楚河 漢界車帥卒將俥傌
    11. Black R5+1
  12. 12. Red K4+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 17 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    12. Black R5=6 (check, the only legal reply)
    12楚河 漢界車卒帥將俥傌
    12. Black R5=6
  13. 13. Red K4-1 (captures the Chariot, threatens mate next move)
    Why it works
    • Wins material: takes the Chariot.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    13. Black P3=2
    13楚河 漢界帥卒將俥傌
    13. Black P3=2
  14. 14. Red H2-3 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    14楚河 漢界帥卒傌將俥
    14. Red H2-3

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 1 variation. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Final position

Final position楚河 漢界帥卒傌將俥

Red wins after 14 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Chariot and Horse Tie Down the King"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H2+3 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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