Entering the Den to Seize the Tiger 入穴取虎
📚 Shiqing Yaqu — the famous Ming-dynasty collection of entertaining endgame compositions
True to its name — 'into the tiger's den' — puzzle 265 of Thích Tình Nhã Thú sends the Red chariot charging straight into the enemy palace. The chariot checks twice in a row and is then captured by the black general himself — a sacrifice that blows the palace gate open. The Red cannon immediately surges up, captures the black chariot with check, and the horse finishes with mate on move four. Red's three attacking pieces combine like one clean wave: chariot breaks, cannon clears, horse closes. Ideal for beginners practising the basic three-piece mating sequence.
✓ Engine-verified — Two independent source transcriptions agree character for character; the Pikafish engine confirms Red checkmates in 4 moves.
- Source
- 適情雅趣 第265局（东萍编号；李浭本第266局）
- Book result
- Red wins
- Verification
- ✓ Engine-verified
- Side to move
- Red to move
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Red forces
- King, Horse, Chariot, Cannon
- Black forces
- King, Advisor ×2, Horse, Chariot ×2
- FEN
3k1a3/9/3a5/3rRN2C/9/9/9/6n2/5r3/4K4 w
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🧩 Open in SetupSolution
- 1.Red Chariot 4,3→4,0Black King 3,0→3,1
- 2.Red Chariot 4,0→3,0Black King 3,1→3,0
- 3.Red Cannon 8,3→3,3Black Advisor 3,2→4,1
- 4.Red Horse 5,3→3,2