No. 4: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Elephants (1)

"No. 4: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Elephants (1)" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Double Horse mates. Red moves first and wins in 16 moves; the key first move is H9+8. 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, 2 Horses. Black has a General, 2 Elephants, a Horse.

Solution move by move

1. Red H9+8
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 10 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black K4+1
1. Black K4+1
2. Red H7-6
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black H7-5
2. Black H7-5
3. Red E3-1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 7 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
3. Black H5+4
3. Black H5+4
4. 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.
4. Black K4=5
4. Black K4=5
5. Red -H-7 (captures the Elephant)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Elephant.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 11 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
5. Black H4+5
5. Black H4+5
6. Red H7+5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 15 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
6. Black H5+7 (check)
6. Black H5+7
7. Red K5=4
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 12 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
7. Black H7-6
7. Black H7-6
8. Red H5+7 (check)
8. Black K5-1
8. Black K5-1
9. Red H8-6 (check)
9. Black K5=6
9. Black K5=6
10. Red H6-5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
10. Black E5-7
10. Black E5-7
11. Red H5-4 (captures the Horse)
Why it works
Wins material: takes the Horse.
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 4 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
11. Black E7+5
11. Black E7+5
12. Red K4=5
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
12. Black E5-3
12. Black E5-3
13. Red H4+2
13. Black E3+5
13. Black E3+5
14. Red H2+3
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 5 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
14. Black E5+3
14. Black E5+3
15. Red H3+2 (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.
15. Black K6+1
15. Black K6+1
16. Red H7+6 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
16. Red H7+6

Variations and alternative defences

The source manual records 3 variations. Each branch starts from the move number shown.

Variation 1, from move 3: E3-1 4. H8-7+ Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 3: E5-7 4. H6+8+ H5-3 5. -H-7 Try it on the board
Variation 3, from move 1: H7-8 2. H7-5+ K4=5 3. H8-6+ K5+1 4. H6-7 Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 16 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "No. 4: Two Horses Win by Rule vs Horse and Two Elephants (1)"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H9+8 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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