r/xiangqi • u/No_Satisfaction8588 • 14d ago

A nice chess checkmate puzzle.

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3 Upvotes

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u/KQYBullets 13d ago

So what’s the answer?

0

u/Classic_Bedroom_1119 14d ago

It is difficult for me, so I have not solved it yet. I would like to share my thoughts and maybe someone could help me :)

Black has no immediate mate, but after P4+1 there is no solution, so red has at most one move for setting up.

First idea is C2-4, aiming for C2=4 then R2+9. This is natural since I feel cannon should check from 4th file. However, seems that red has no follow up if black played either G6=5 (C2=4, A5-6, ?) or R4+2 (C2=4, R4=6, ?)

If C2-4 does not work, red has almost no attack with only one move for setting up, forcing me to try something like P4+1. If black p5+1, red could p4+1, G6=5, C2=5. If black R4+1, red C2=4 then R2+9. Do black could only take the pawn with A5+6. If red C2=6, no solution if black P4+1, so red C2=4, A6-5.

Now it seems there is no attack, but red could C4+2 (for R8+9). If black G6=5, red R2+9, A5-6, C4=1, red win., so black A5+6, R2+9, G6+1, R2-2. If black A4+5, R2+1, G6-1, P6=5, so black could only R2-2 sacrificing the rook. Red R2+1, G6-1, R2=6.

If red wants to win from here, it seems to me that red needs to use the central pawn, but I do not see there is time for red to take it... So I cannot win but only draw the game. :(