B. Chariot and Two Cannons Class, Game 03

B. Chariot and Two Cannons Class, Game 03楚河 漢界帥相卒馬俥炮卒車象士炮將士

"B. Chariot and Two Cannons Class, Game 03" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Chariot & Cannon mates. Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is R7+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, a Elephant, a Chariot, 2 Cannons. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

  1. 1. Red R7+5 (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
    • The Chariot stands where it can be captured.
    1. Black A5-4 (threatens mate next move)
    1楚河 漢界帥相卒馬炮卒車象炮俥士將士
    1. Black A5-4
  2. 2. Red R7=6 (captures the Advisor, 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.
    • Wins material: takes the Advisor.
    • Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    2. Black K5+1 (threatens mate next move)
    2楚河 漢界帥相卒馬炮卒車象將炮俥士
    2. Black K5+1
  3. 3. Red C1+4 (check, 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.
    • 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.
    3. Black R8-3 (threatens mate next move)
    3楚河 漢界帥相卒馬卒象將炮車炮俥士
    3. Black R8-3
  4. 4. Red C3+1 (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 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
    4. Black R8=9 (captures the Cannon, threatens mate next move)
    4楚河 漢界帥相卒馬卒象將車俥士炮
    4. Black R8=9
  5. 5. Red R6-1 (checkmate)
    Why it works
    • Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
    What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
    5楚河 漢界帥相卒馬卒象俥將車士炮
    5. Red R6-1

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 漢界帥相卒馬卒象俥將車士炮

Red wins after 5 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

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

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move R7+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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