How do you evaluate an endgame with horse and cannon on one side against chariot and horse on the other?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.
Direct answer
Roughly balanced on the value table, but usually a little easier to play for the chariot-and-horse side. A chariot can create meaningful threats entirely on its own, while a cannon needs a screen and a horse needs a clear path to its target squares, so horse and cannon depends much more on the two pieces actively working together. In practice the chariot-and-horse side often finds a workable plan faster, even though the raw point totals are close.
Why raw values understate the difference
Point values assume every piece gets to use its full potential, but a cannon stranded without a useful screen and a horse with its legs blocked are both temporarily much weaker than their nominal value suggests. A chariot has no equivalent dependency, it threatens whatever is on its line the moment it gets there, which is why the pairing with a chariot tends to feel more reliable in practice.
What the horse-and-cannon side should prioritise
Coordinating the two pieces so the horse can supply a screen or the cannon can support a horse fork is the whole plan; used separately, neither piece is nearly as dangerous. Look for squares where both pieces can eventually work on the same target rather than developing them toward opposite sides of the board.
Related questions
Is this endgame ever winning for the horse-and-cannon side?
Yes, particularly if the chariot side's king safety or soldiers are weak, but it usually requires more precise coordination to prove.
Does an extra soldier change the evaluation much?
Yes, as in most endgames a healthy extra or more advanced soldier can outweigh this kind of small structural difference.
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