Two Horses Win by Rule vs Full Advisors and Elephants

"Two Horses Win by Rule vs Full Advisors and Elephants" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Double Horse mates. Red moves first and wins in 15 moves; the key first move is H8+9. 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 Horses. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants.

Solution move by move

1. Red H8+9
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black E5-3
1. Black E5-3
2. Red H9-7 (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=4
2. Black K5=4
3. Red H2-3
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black A5-6
3. Black A5-6
4. Red H3-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
4. Black A4-5
4. Black A4-5
5. Red H5+7
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black -E+5
5. Black -E+5
6. Red -H+8
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black K4+1
6. Black K4+1
7. Red H7-6 (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 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black A5+4
7. Black A5+4
8. Red H6+8 (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 K4=5
8. Black K4=5
9. Red -H-7 (captures the Elephant)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Elephant.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
9. Black K5=6
9. Black K5=6
10. Red H8+6 (check)
10. Black K6=5
10. Black K6=5
11. Red H6-5 (captures the Elephant)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Elephant.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
11. Black K5-1
11. Black K5-1
12. Red H7+6 (captures the Advisor, check, 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.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
12. Black K5+1
12. Black K5+1
13. Red K5+1
13. Black K5=4
13. Black K5=4
14. Red H5+4 (captures the Advisor, check, threatens mate next move)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Advisor.
Creates an immediate mating threat that must be answered.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
14. Black K4+1 (captures the Horse)
14. Black K4+1
15. Red K5-1 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
15. Red K5-1

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 2 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 7: A5-4 8. H8-7+ K4+1 9. H6-5 Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 6: E5-7 7. H7-5+ K4+1 8. H5-7# Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 15 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Two Horses Win by Rule vs Full Advisors and Elephants"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H8+9 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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