3. Piece-Winning Tactics 66

"3. Piece-Winning Tactics 66" is a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) tactic from the collection Winning material. Black moves first and wins in 2 moves; the key first move is C4=8. 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, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, a Horse, 2 Cannons, 3 Soldiers. Black has a General, 2 Advisors, a Elephant, a Chariot, 2 Horses, a Cannon, 3 Soldiers.

Solution move by move

1. Black C4=8 (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 28 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
1. Red E3-1
1. Red E3-1
2. Black C8-2
Why it works–
What to watch out for
Not forcing: the defender has 29 replies, so compare each one before playing it.
2. Black C8-2

Variations and alternative defences

What if Red 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.

1. Red E3-1
- If Red plays K5=6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Red plays A5+4 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Red plays A5+6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Red plays A5-6 instead: no immediate mate; the attack continues. Try it on the board
- If Red plays R8=7 instead: Black mates immediately with C8+6. Try it on the board
- If Red plays R8=9 instead: Black mates immediately with C8+6. Try it on the board

Final position

The record ends here.

Questions about this puzzle

Who moves first in "3. Piece-Winning Tactics 66"?

Black moves first, as in every puzzle of Winning material.

How many moves does the solution take?

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

What is the key move?

The first move C4=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.

← Previous puzzle: 3. Piece-Winning Tactics 67 Next puzzle: 3. Piece-Winning Tactics 65 →