The Corner Horse
A Horse has arrived at one of the corners, usually a top corner of the opposing palace. Checkmate is then put with a Chariot. Alternatively, a Chariot is sealing off the opponent’s 2nd rank, then a Horse checkmates the King at one of the top corners. There are three common formations.
Red Horse checking at the corner forced the black King to step up on previous move. Now R2+4 checkmate. Note that in the absence of black’s central Elephant, this checkmate will fail.
Here the intercepting Chariot is in position first, H2+4 checkmates the King at once. If you have a Pawn, instead of the Chariot, positioned at B41 to intercept the King, then you can checkmate with the Corner Horse or the Moat Horse (H2+3).
The red Horse in this formation is better known as “8-Angled Horse” (°Ë½ÇÂí). It is a lethal weapon in attack as it traps the black King in the opposite corner of the palace. A Chariot can then deliver checkmate from the front or from either wing.
In the diagram left, red can checkmate with R1+5, or R1=6. If the Chariot is on the 9th file, it can also checkmate at black’s baseline on that wing. The onslaught is usually indefensible.
Even a Pawn can checkmate at one of the 3 spots around the King: B30, B41 and B50.
Try the two easy puzzles below on the Corner Horse theme.
H2+4 is guarded by the black Cannon. You have to find another course of invasion.
Hint: force the 8-angled Horse formation