Horse and Soldier Class, Game 03

"Horse and Soldier Class, Game 03" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) puzzle from the collection Horse & Soldier mates. Red moves first and wins in 5 moves; the key first move is K5+1. 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 Horse, a Soldier. Black has a General, a Horse.

Solution move by move

1. Red K5+1
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 8 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Black H5-3
1. Black H5-3
2. Red H7-8
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 6 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black H3+2
2. Black H3+2
3. Red H8+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.
3. Black H2+4
3. Black H2+4
4. Red H6+8 (check, 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.
Takes away the General's escape squares.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
4. Black H4-3
4. Black H4-3
5. Red K5+1 (checkmate)
Why it works
Ends the game: no legal reply remains.
What to watch out forNo real drawback in this position.
5. Red K5+1

Variations and alternative defences

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

Variation 1, from move 1: 1. H7+8+ K4=5 2. P5=4 K5=6 3. H8-6 H5+4 4. P4=3 H4-5 5. K5+1 H5-3 6. H6+5+ H3-5 7. K5-1# Try it on the board

Final position

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

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "Horse and Soldier Class, Game 03"?

Red moves first, as in every puzzle of Horse & Soldier 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 K5+1 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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