YUGONGBI - THE DREAM IS ALL OVER AFTER JUST THREE MOVES ..

- Searching for the shortest match in Xiangqi -

Name: Dr. Rene Gralla

Location: Hamburg/German

Chinese Chess is fast and beautiful: no endless pondering about strangely checkered quadrants being dotted with old-fashioned pieces the likes of "Bishop"or "Queen", but realistic action (though virtual, of course) that unfolds in a most inspiring setting - that scenic battle-ground between North and South, with both the Red Palace and the Black Palace mysteriously simmering at the horizon.

And at the banks of the The Yellow River, the Huanghe, cannons are thundering there, elephants are trumpeting, the generals are studying maps together with their staff hunkered down behind the walls of their headquarters, and chariots are speeding along the highways in hot pursuit of the enemy troops.

That's Xiangqi - that's why we love it.

There is only one strange contradiction: whereas we do know for sure that there are so many encounters of Xiangqi that have been decided - and that will be decided day by day - very fast, nevertheless you will find virtually no matches recorded in the literature that have been decided in less than five moves.

That is a surprising difference between Chinese Chess and Western Chess . In the international version of our mind sports the typic match is lasting longer than comparable encounters of Xiangqi, in general. But the foregoing notwithstanding there are some duels in Western Chess that have been decided in less than five moves, indeed - and those incredible encounters have taken place, for real : They are live chess having been executed by real people; those short-plays are no fictional cases of just possible constellations of ending a game as soon as possible.

In order to make that striking point of this little essay we are beginning our litte survey on rapid chess both in Xiangqi and its international cousin by re-publishing the documentation of a match of Western Chess that the Dutch author and chess journalist Tim Krabbe has put into the net on his greatwebsite www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/records/records.htm: the chronicle of a stunning >>3 - mover << that Black has won nearly 20 years ago - thus being one of the shortest games ever decided in a serious tournament of Western Chess.

In order to enable our readers to recognize more clearly the - sometimes striking - parallels between Chinese Chess, on the one hand, and Western Chess, on the other hand, the author has transformed the moves of Western Chess into the way of recording that is used in Chinese Chess - by adopting that very Chinese way of recording of chess moves to the scenario of the Western board of 64 squares; but the the ususal notation of Western Chess will be added too, in parenthesis and underlined, for the sake of clarification

By their respective first moves the Pawns of Western Chess - each one of them - are allowed to advance two squares at once if the player decides to do so (or just one square if the situation is like that). Do not forget: Pawns of Western Chess - abbr.: "P" - are marching forward if they are not striking; but unlike to the soldiers of Chinese Chess the Pawns of Western Chess are not striking forward, but they are striking - provided that is possible - one square diagonally (forward) either to the left or to the right. Because of the foregoing the abbreviation in this context: "P*".

BThe Knight of Western Chess (abbr.: "N") is moving just like the "Horse" of Chinese Chess. But that international piece is more mobile: It is allowed to leap over occupied squares just in front of it (abbr. in this context : "H*").

The Bishop of Western Chess (abbr.: "B") is a descendant of the "Elephant" in Xiangqi (abbr.: "E"). But unlike his cousin from the East the Western Chess-Bishop is allowed to roam either one of the white-squared diagonals or black-squared diagonals - dependant on the actual colour of that very diagonal where that long-range piece has been positioned first (in this case of >Djordjevic vs. Kovacevic it is the left-flank black-squared Bishop of White). The Bishop may thrust forward or backward as far as he chooses to do so on his diagonal and as far as the diagonal is not blocked by either a friendly piece or an enemy piece (which the Bishop can snatch away from the enemy, of course, if the situation is ripe for that). A big difference to the "Elephant" of Chinese Chess, thus the "Bishop" is abbreviated in this context like that: "E*"; the latter one can only move into the second crossing on its diagonal, and the Asian Behemoth is not capable to cross the central border line : the River Huanghe that is cutting the board into two halves - the Southern Kingdom ("Red") and the Northern Kingdom ("Black").

Now the White Bishop "E*" - that relative of the "Elephants " in Xiangqi - on White position 2v/Black position 7iv (Western Chess-notation: "g5") is lost due to one simultaneous strike of attack by the omnipotent "Advisor" of Western Chess, the "Queen" .

How come? That very "Queen" of Western Chess (abbr. in Western Chess: "Q") can use the combined fire-power of Western Chess-"Bishop" and Western Chess-"Rook"; the latter one is moving the same way just as the "Chariot" of Xiangqi is moving (abbr. in this context since the Western Chess "Queen" is a relative of the Xiangqi-"Advisor": "A*").

During the match of Western Chess Djordjevic vs. Kovacevic (Bela Crkva 1984) the Black "Queen" has just stormed forward - by Black's move no. 3 - from Black position 4i/White position 5viii (Western Chess-notation: "d8") directly to Black position 1iv/White position 8v (Western Chess-notation: "a5") ; now Mr. Kovacevic's Glory Piece "A* " (translate: "Queen") is attacking and checking (due to that aspect of her fire-power that is identical with a Western Chess-Bishop) the stunned White King on White position 4i/Black position 5viii (Western Chess-notation: "e1"). Not enough with that: The Amazon Lady is simultaneously attacking (due to her additional power of Western Chess-"Rook" that is corresponding to the "Chariot" of Chinese Chess) that unlucky White Bishop on White position 2v/Black position 7iv (Western Chess-notation: "g5").

A deadly doubled attack, White should better forget that game

A three-mover at a real tournament of Western Chess. And what about Chinese Chess on the level of serious play?

During the 9th World Xiangqi Championship in 2005 at Paris one of the shortest (!) matches has lasted 12 (!) long moves.

Trying to attack immediately - but that is premature, at that early stage of the match.
Futile demonstration at the outermost right flank.
Bad idea: Black Pawn 3iv has been not worth the effort, Red Horse gets stuck there.
8.... H7+6!Counter-strike: The vital central Pawn of the Southern Army is doomed.
9.A4+5 ...Desperately trying to improvise a barricade ...
As soon as Cannons of the enemy are conquering that position in front of your palace you should better start to pray ...
Angus MacGregor's second Cannon at the base line of Red: Gianluca Sirci could graciously resign already.
The Italian way of giving up a match:

Decision without delay - but a lot of moves, in comparison to those three moves of Djordjevic vs.Kovacevic (Bela Crkva 1984) in Western Chess

And there is even a shorter one of Western Chess that seems to have established the all-time record of the fastest tournament match that has ever been played on the level of championships of the international brand of chess.

A variation of the creative, but risky opening "Latvia Gambit"; in the normal case the "Latvia Gambit" goes like this: 1.P*4+2 ... (1.e4 ...) P*5+2 (1.... e5) 2.H*2+3 ... (2.Nf3 ...) P*6+2 (2.... f5) .

The British-born Comins Mansfield, Grandmaster (GM) of Chess Composition, is arranging something new for eternity; so he is refraining from simply eating the Black Pawn on White position 3v/Black position 6iv (Western Chess-notation: "f5").

Goof of the Millennium:

Black King on Black position 5i/White position 4viii (Western Chess-notation: "e8") is diagonally attacked by White "Queen" and her nearly unlimited power - in this case: her power of Western Chess-"Bishop" (corresponding to a kind of promoted Mega-"Elephant" of Chinese Chess with unlimited movability on the diagonals) - directly from White position 1v/Black position 8iv (Western Chess-notation: "h5"). And Black King - though the Western Chess monarch, unlike His Highnesse's Asian colleague in Xiangqi, is able to move one square diagonally in each direction too, in addition to His age-old capability to move one step on the laterals and lines (comparable to the spatial scope of the "General" of Chinese Chess) - can not escape from Black position 5i/White position 4viii (Western Chess-notation: "e8") to Black position 6ii/White position 3vii (Western Chess-notation: "f7"): because that square is lying under fire too from White "Queen" A* on White position 1v/Black position 8iv (Western Chess-notation: "h5").

No Black piece can intervene and shield off the impact of the iron grip of the Queen of GM C. Mansfield - that is to say: the check of White "A*" - on that short-distance White-squared diagonal leading from White position 1v/Black position 8iv (Western Chess-notation: "h5") down to Black position 5i/White position 4viii (Western Chess-notation: "e8") - : therefore "game over" because of check-mate.

The foregoing constellation - the sudden death of a King after two or three moves who has opened up his defense too early in the game - is known as the "Fool's Mate".

And what about Chinese Chess? Does Xiangqi know its own "Yugongbi" - a regional version of the "Fool's Mate" ? Well: If you try hard enough to arrange the pieces on the board in order to create by crazy moves a very quick check-mate, then it is possible to demonstrate a "Yugongbi" as well : a brutal and rather dumb beheading of the enemy after no more than three moves.

That "wait-and-see"-attitude in starting a match is not wrong from the beginning.
A black "attack" that is overhasty - and should not work.
Good move: After Black has ordered his left wing-artillery unit to the exposed position on Black point 8v/Red point 2vi, it is a plausible plan for Red to exert pressure in the centre.
Betting on eventual thoughtlessness on part of Red ...
Red Cannon is vaporizing the important central Pawn of Black and is facing the Northern General head-on : that seems to be strong and logical - but it is a blunder anyway:

The foregoing is only theory though - in Chinese Chess - , whereas in Western Chess, the Yugongbi can get for real.

(source: http://www.chesscorner.com/chesstutor/mates.htm )
After two moves only - the end already: incredible but true!

That fast you can be out of the game in Western Chess: in that very version of the eternal game of Kings and Generals that seems - at least on the international level of professional mind sports - more lengthy and more tiring all too often than the exciting brand of Chinese Chess, Xiangqi.

True: The teaching books on Chinese Chess are publishing some more examples of swift executions in less than 5 moves - apart from the "Yugongbi" that we have just seen. One basic case is the notorious "Stabbing of Calves" (see: "Chinesisches Schach - Koreanisches Schach" by David Wurman, page 100 Edition Harri Deutsch; only available in antiquariats).

A blunder if that opening is not treated as a gambit.
Second and final mistake: Red should have anticipated Black's striking on Red Pawn 5v by eating and checking by 2.A4+5 ... plus 3.C2=5 ... after 2.... C5+3.
Trying to get back Red's Pawn that has just been lost - by having been liquidated by Black Cannon on Red point 5v/Black point 5vi - by killing Black's Pawn left of the Northern centre.

But the foregoing has been composed for teaching; no live-encounter like that - with real players who are bearing real names - can be found in those countless collections of games of Chinese Chess regardless they are dusty editions from the dawn of history or data-compilations of our modern digital age.

There are only two recorded examples of encounters that are lasting less than ten moves and that are sporting at least some similarities to the famous constellation of "Stabbing of Calves".

First case: a 9-mover.

Correct would have been: 2.A4+5 ... (or: 2.A6+5 ...) plus 3.C2=5 ... after 2.... C5+3 (see the foregoing).

Second case: a 7-mover.

Overlooking the attack on Black Pawn 5iv.
Red is generous; he is conceding to Mr. Grzeschniok to save the threatened Black Pawn 5iv ...
but Mr. Grzeschniok does not see what is going on.
Does Black seriously assume that he has managed to protect Black's Pawn 5iv? But Black Horse 7iii is blocked by Black Cannon 6iii - and can not reach Black Pawn 5iv.
If Black should harbour the idea of playing on a little bit longer - just for the fun of it - , then he must try 6.... K5+1! at least (see Chao Huynh vs. Dr. R. Gralla, Hamburg 2005, and 4.K5+1! ... in a comparable situation).
That has been the fastest match of that weekend of the German Federal League of Xiangqi.

Apart from those foregoing two examples there can be found no more than four additional cases of showdowns in Xiangqi that have lasted less than 10 moves.

The first one is a legendary showcase piece that is belonging to the cultural heritage of China. That very interesting encounter is an ancient instructional game that has been played at the Imperial Court during the years of the early Sung Dynasty in China between 960 and 1126 A.D. . It has been published by David H. Li in his book ¡°Xiangqi Syllabus on Cannon¡± (Bethesda, Maryland, USA 1998) on pages 41 ¨C 43. The names of the players are not known, however; but it can fairly be assumed that this ancient 9-mover is a match that has actually taken place more than thousand years ago.

Conclusion of the record of the game that has been written down so many centuries ago: Black wins chariot.

Second example: In 2003 the Team Competition of the German Championship in Xiangqi has produced a funny 7-mover :

Black - a gifted player born in Vietnam - is punishing the renowned German Dr. Reinhard Knab who manages two years later to become no. 8 of the Non-Chinese / Non-Vietnamese players during the 9th World Xiangqi Championship in 2005 at Paris, France.

Too much bravado ... an invitation for the swing of attack that follows immediately:
devastating shifting of that artillery unit: a suprise maneuver that Mr. Ngyuen Hoai An and his team colleagues from Mannheim have applied many times so that this kind of strike has already been dubbed the "Manhaimu Gongshi", the "Mannheim Attack".
Knab has lost his balance totally ...
Now Black has the material surplus. Dr. Reinhard Knab is admitting defeat:

Example no. 3 - see: http://www.chessbase.de/nachrichten.asp?newsid=4338 - is a beginner's 9-mover on the amateur level from modern times .

Mr. Karcher is overlooking the - hidden - fact that Red has defended his left-hand soldier P7iv by the Southern task-force H9iii & C8iii.
Black-out no. 1 ...
and after three more moves of resistance in order to save face:

That foregoing encounter - naive as it may seem - is demonstrating one interesting chunk of tactics: that volatile constellation of Horse & Cannon combined (Red) at the Southern left wing against an invading unit of Black artillery - the latter one exposing itself in a delicate position on Black line 3/Red line 7 because of the vulnerable Black Elephant back home on Black point 3i/Red point 7x. That chunk is worth to remember: for the author has not forgotten that rather incidence during >Dr.R.Gralla vs. C.Karcher< (Hamburg 2003) at moves no. 2 and no. 3 , so the author has been so lucky to try that trick once more again two years later (this time being the commander-in-chief of the Northern army ).

Therefore example no. 4 as follows ¨C and not enough with that: As a result of composing a kind of replay of >Dr.R.Gralla vs. C. Karcher (Hamburg 2003) the author has had the chance to produce on the board a quite surprising premi¨¨re in Chinese Chess: - the first ever recorded match of Xiangqi that has lasted three moves only.

So Chinese Chess has now equalized with Western Chess as far as the swiftness of decisions is concerned: The global community of the aficionados of International Chess has been shocked by those three unbelievable moves of that fervently discussed short circuit of [GM C.Mansfield vs. Trinks] (USA 1961); 44 years later there is one more 3-mover in chess - but this time in Xiangqi.

Red : Kenny Hon Hei Tsang/Hong Kong
Black: Dr. Rene Gralla, Germany
Friendly match, November 12th, 2005, Hamburg/Germany, Cafe-Bar "Tapas"
That move of Red Cannon is not based on any valid plan. After pushing forward his 3rd-file-Pawn, South has cleared the way for his right-wing Horse to swing to the River Bank by H2+3+4 - in the normal case; but after 2.C2=3(?) ... that path for Red Horse - that has been opened up by 1.P3+1 ... - has been blocked again.
Obviously Red has calculated that after 1.P3+1 P3+1 2.C2=3(?) ... Black Pawn has been fixed on Red Point 3vii/Black Point 7iv, with the consequence that this doomed infantry unit may be vaporized there by Red Cannon. A misunderstanding of that position, however.
Now the threat is: 4¡­. H9+7. And the big surprise: Red Cannon is lost already.
Why?

• Variant I: 4.P3+1 H9+7, and now the River-crossed Red Pawn 3vi can not retake Black Horse by 5.P3+1?? ¡­ because of 5¡­. C7+7 (check) and 6¡­. C7=9. So, after 4¡­. H9+7, Red has to neutralize the threat by Black Cannon 7viii on Red Elephant 3i by, say, 5.E3+5 ¡­: But after the immediate retreat 5¡­. H7-9 the Southern Army is commandeering a River-crossed Pawn still, but on the other hand the Reds are one Cannon behind ¨C and that should be decisive in favour of North.
• Variant II: 4.C3=2?? ... or 4.C3=4?? ... will be punished once more again at once by 4.... C7+7 plus 5.... C7=9 (that goofy variant would have been one more case of astonishing deja-vu with regard to the temporary black-out on the side of the Northern Command on the occasion of that friendly match >Dr. R.Gralla vs.C.Karcher< (Hamburg 2003) that we have already analyzed in the foregoing: 1.E3+5 C2=3 2.H8+9! C3+4 3.C8=7! C3=7?? 4.C7+7 K5+1 5.C7=9 ... pp. ).
• Variant III: 4.C3-1 E7+5, and still Red Cannon is lost - because that heavy gun should even now better not dare to leave Red Line 3/Black Line 7because of 5.... C7+7 plus 6.... C7=9. True: After, say, 5. E3+5 ¡­ , Red will get, apart from the conquered Black Pawn 7iv, the left-wing Black Elephant as a kind of compensation for the Southern Cannon lost by 5¡­. E5+7 6.P3+1 ¡­; but normally that should not be enough to defend against the material surplus of the Northern Army in the long run.

Of course Mr. Kenny Hon Hei Tsang from Hong Kong does see all that right now, and he does not like to the bleak prospects of a nearly hopeless up-hill battle. Therefore:

Re sum of our little survey: As far as the author has had the possibility to check and examine the literature and publications on Xiangqi there are some recorded game-scores of matches that have lasted less than 10 moves - among them two matches that have lasted 7 moves, and one match that has lasted only three moves.

Since in Western Chess too there are well-known cases of live matches that have lasted less than 10 moves so this little essay is one more proof for the fact that the structural similarities between Chinese Chess and Western Chess are more significant than the differences.

Up-tempo beats and power play: that is Chess world-wide - be it in the East or in the West.

Dr. Rene Gralla, Hamburg/Germany

Any comment is welcome. In particular: If our readers do know more examples of short endings in Xiangqi ¨C may it be check-mate or resignation after less than 10 moves - they are invited to please kindly e-mail those game records to the author: dr.rgralla@t-online.de