What does 紅先勝 mean on a xiangqi puzzle?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws for movement, checkmate and both repetition rulings: a side that forces a repetition by perpetual check or perpetual chase loses rather than drawing. The chase half has not been validated against the official casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it before publishing.
Direct answer
紅先勝 means Red to move and win. The label under a Chinese puzzle diagram states two things: who moves first (紅先 or 黑先) and the goal: 勝 for a win, 和 for a draw. So 紅先和 is Red to move and draw, and 黑先勝 is Black to move and win.
Reading the four characters
紅 is Red and 黑 is Black. 先 means first, so 紅先 is "Red moves first". 勝 is win, 和 is draw. You will see these on composed endgame puzzles, on tactics exercises, and in endgame books. Some labels are longer and name the number of moves, for example a mate within a given number of moves; the pattern is the same.
Why the goal matters
A 紅先和 puzzle is not a winning puzzle that you failed to solve. It is a defensive or saving puzzle: Red is often worse or facing a strong attack, and the task is to find the one line that holds. That makes those puzzles good training for accurate defence, which gets far less attention than attack. Many composed endgames are built so that best play by both sides ends in a draw; see jianghu paiju.
Remember the repetition rules
When a puzzle asks for a draw, perpetual check is not a draw in xiangqi: the checking side loses if it refuses to vary. A solution that relies on checking forever is wrong. See perpetual check and chase.
Related questions
Is the diagram always shown from Red's side?
Usually, with Red at the bottom, even when Black is to move. The label, not the orientation, tells you whose turn it is.
Where can I practise puzzles?
This site has free tactics puzzles in the browser.
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