Puzzle of the day - an actual game from 2008 National A League Championships Matchup

Puzzle of the day - an actual game

The xiangqi puzzle below is from Jim Png's new eBook - Becoming a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Assassin Volume 1. With Jim's permission, I would like to share with you some of the interesting puzzle. Please try your best to solve the puzzle. You can compare your solution with the answer placed at the bottom of the page.

If you would like to learn more about this eBook or challenge yourself for more xiangqi puzzles, just visit www.xqinenglish.com.

Enjoy and have fun!

Red: GM Wan Chunlin from Shanghai.

Black: Master Xu Bo from Anhui.

Red's turn.

Event: 2008 National A League Championships Matchup.

Answer:

The explanation below are taken from eBook: Becoming a Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) Assassin Volume 1, written by Jim Png.

Red: GM Wan Chunlin from Shanghai.

Black: Master Xu Bo from Anhui.

Red's turn.

Event: 2008 National A League Championships Matchup.

Some moves were added as Black resigned.  

  1. R8=6  K4=5  2. R6+3!  K5=6  3. P4=3  R5=7  4. R6=4  K6=5

  5. R4=5  K5=6

K5=4 would not save the day for Black.

  5a. ........  K5=4  6a. E5+3  K4-1  7a. P3=4  R7=6  8a. P4=5  K4+1  9a. R5=6  Checkmate.

  6. E5+3  ……

And Red would win with R5=4 on the next move!

  6. ……  P8+1  7. R5=4.  Checkmate.