Horse and Soldier Class, Game 04

"Horse and Soldier Class, Game 04" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Horse & Soldier mates. Red moves first and wins in 6 moves; the key first move is H4+6. Below you will find the full solution, what each move achieves, where it could go wrong, and the alternative defences.

Solve this puzzle on ChessZing →

Free, in the browser, no download.

Pieces on the board

Red has a General, a Elephant, a Horse, a Soldier. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Horse.

Solution move by move

1. Red H4+6 (check)
1. Black K5=4
1. Black K5=4
2. Red H6+8 (check)
2. Black K4=5
2. Black K4=5
3. Red P7+1 (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.
3. Black H2+4
3. Black H2+4
4. Red H8-6 (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 K5=4
4. Black K5=4
5. Red P7+1
5. Black A5+4 (captures the Horse)
5. Black A5+4
6. Red P7+1 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
6. Red P7+1

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 2: K4+1 3. P7+1 A5+6 4. P7+1+ K4+1 5. P7+1+ K4-1 6. P7=8 Try it on the board
Variation 2, from move 1: H2+4 2. P7+1 K5=4 3. P7+1 A5+4 4. P7+1# Try it on the board

Final position

Red wins after 6 moves. The General has no legal move.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Horse and Soldier Class, Game 04"?

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

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move H4+6 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: Horse and Soldier Class, Game 03 Next puzzle: Horse and Soldier Class, Game 05 →

Nearby puzzles

Horse and Soldier Class 1
1 moves
Horse and Soldier Class, Game 01
22 moves
Horse and Soldier Class, Game 03
5 moves
Horse and Soldier Class, Game 05
16 moves
Horse and Soldier Class, Game 06
8 moves
Horse and Soldier Class, Game 07
11 moves