Soldier endgames

What a lone soldier can finish and what it cannot. A soldier never moves backwards, which is why some of these are wins and some are not.

11 chapters

1. One soldier, across the river vs Bare general

   Wins as long as the soldier has not reached the last rank, where it can no longer advance.

2. One soldier (with general and elephant) vs One advisor

   Tempo decides it: Red to play wins, Black to play draws. The general rule is that any extra defensive piece draws, and this is the case that takes real technique.

3. Two unadvanced soldiers vs Two advisors

   Two unadvanced soldiers vs Two advisors

4. Two unadvanced soldiers vs Two elephants

   Two unadvanced soldiers vs Two elephants

5. Two unadvanced soldiers vs A bare cannon

   A cannon with no platform to jump is close to useless on defence.

6. Two unadvanced soldiers vs One advisor and one elephant

   The mixed pair defends where either pair alone does not: the advisor covers the palace, the elephant covers the approach.

7. Three unadvanced soldiers vs All four defensive pieces (士象全)

   The headline surprise of xiangqi endgames: three soldiers beat the full defence, while a chariot does not.

8. Three unadvanced soldiers vs A horse and two advisors

   Three unadvanced soldiers vs A horse and two advisors

9. Three unadvanced soldiers vs A cannon and two elephants

   Three unadvanced soldiers vs A cannon and two elephants

10. General and soldier vs Bare general

    Red wins with either side to move. 1.Gd1 is a waiting move that puts Black in zugzwang; the win comes from the red general seizing the middle file, not from the soldier alone.

11. Two soldiers and an elephant vs Two soldiers

    Reciprocal zugzwang: whoever moves first loses. Set for Black to move, so the verdict is a Red win; flip the side to move and it is a Black win.