Mate in 7 — Problem #2997248
🎯 Checkmate in 7 — your move
☖
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
九
☗
Show solution
▲3三龍 △5四玉 ▲4三龍 △6五玉 ▲7六銀 △5六玉 ▲4八桂
Why this move works
The answer is ▲3三龍 △5四玉 ▲4三龍 △6五玉 ▲7六銀 △5六玉 ▲4八桂. Drive the king out into the center, then mate with a leaping knight. The dragon and silver herd the king to 5六, and ▲4八桂 checks from a distance — the king on 5六 has no flight square and cannot capture the knight.
Luring the king into a net where the dragon commands the 4-file and the silver on 7六 plus the pawns on 4七 and 6七 block every escape, then mating with the sprung knight, is the backbone. Even a king pushed into the open center can be mated by a single knight once the net of control is complete.