The Chariot-Horse Duo

The Chariot and the Horse can joint hands to produce many checkmate combinationa. In most cases the Horse plays the role of Interception Force while the Chariot delivers checkmate.

The Moat Horse

A Horse arriving at the opponent’s second rank and occupying the spot in front of the Elephant’s home station is known as  “Moat Horse” (A better translation of the Chinese term 卧槽马).

Fig 1.  
Red H1+3   K5+1, R8+4 checkmate.

Fig2.
Red H2+3   K5=6, R1=4   A5+5, R4+5    checkmate

 

Fig 1
Fig 2

The Angler's Horse

Fig 3
Red’s Horse is nailing down the opponent King. R1+3 will checkmate at once. The Chariot may also give checkmate if it is on the 4th file. 

Fig 4.
A variation of the Angler’s Horse checkmate. Here the Chariot checkmates  with R1=4. Note that if the Chariots is at Black’s bottom line, it can also checkmate with R1=4, being supported by the Angler’s Horse.

Fig 3
Fig 4

The Palcorner Horse

The term “Palcorner” is the contraction of “Palace corner”. A common checkmate performed by the Chariot & Horse Duo is having the Horse occupying one of the top Palcorners and the Chariot checking the King from the flank as shown in Fig 5.
1. H2+4   K5+1,   2. R1+4 mate.

Fig 6.
Here, Red’s Palcorner Horse totally immobilises the King.  R2+4 or R2=6 checkmates at oncc.

Fig 5
Fig 6
EGP 1
EGP 1
EGP 2
EGP 2
EGP 3
EGP 3
EGP 4
EGP 4
EGP 5
EGP 5
EGP 6
EGP 6
EGP 7
EGP 7

Now try to solve the 7 endgame puzzles mentally. You may pause the slide by moving the mouse over it.

Click play the video in the right column to check the answers.