Chariot endgames

The chariot is the one piece that wins on its own. These are the positions where technique still decides it.

14 chapters

1. A chariot and cannon, no defensive pieces vs A bare chariot, Red holding the middle file

   Chariot and cannon beat a lone chariot when the red chariot holds the middle file.

2. A bare chariot vs Three defensive pieces

   A chariot beats the defence once one elephant is missing.

3. A bare chariot vs A cannon and two advisors, both advisors at home

   With both advisors on the back rank and the cannon in front of the general, the chariot wins.

4. A bare chariot vs All four defensive pieces, both elephants on the edge

   The full defence draws only from a sound setup. With both elephants stranded on the edge, the chariot wins.

5. A bare chariot vs A horse and two elephants, one elephant misplaced

   The drawing fortress for this material, with one elephant moved to the back rank. That one point is the whole difference: here the chariot wins.

6. A bare chariot vs A horse and two advisors

   A chariot beats horse and two advisors.

7. Two chariots vs Two horses and all four defensive pieces

   Two horses is the losing pair; other two-minor-piece combinations hold.

8. A bare chariot vs All four defensive pieces

   The strongest piece on the board cannot break the full defence, though three soldiers or two horses can. Piece values do not survive into the basic endgames.

9. A bare chariot vs A horse and two elephants, in the drawing fortress

   The fortress: the horse on the elephant point in front of the general and the two elephants protecting each other. Held exactly like this, the chariot cannot get through.

10. A bare chariot vs A cannon and two advisors

    A cannon and two advisors hold against a lone chariot.

11. A bare chariot vs A horse and cannon, no defensive pieces (單車難勝馬炮)

    The whole draw is one geometric relation: the cannon sits directly behind its own general, where it covers the back rank and cannot be skewered against it. Move that cannon one point sideways and the tablebase turns the position into a Red mate. The horse only has to stay off squ…

12. A chariot and cannon, no defensive pieces vs A bare chariot holding the middle file

    The defending chariot has to hold the middle file BELOW the attacking pieces, because the mate it is preventing (海底撈月) is executed at the bottom of that file. It also drives the red general off the middle file. Leave the chariot on the middle file but a rank too high and Red plan…

13. A chariot and cannon with all four defensive pieces vs A chariot with all four defensive pieces

    A chariot and cannon with all four defensive pieces vs A chariot with all four defensive pieces

14. Two chariots vs A chariot and all four defensive pieces

    Drawn with good defensive placement.