What is 掛角馬, the hanging corner horse mate?
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
掛角馬 ("hanging corner horse") is a named mating pattern where a horse delivers checkmate from the point diagonally adjacent to a corner of the palace, a square just outside the nine defended points that still commands a corner escape square from an angle the defender's own advisors cannot cover.
Why the corner square is the key to the pattern
A horse does not need to enter the palace at all to threaten it, only to reach a point from which its L-shaped move covers a palace corner the general might otherwise flee to. The hanging corner square is exactly that point, and it is easy to miss precisely because it sits just outside the defended zone most players are watching.
What usually sets the pattern up
The mate typically lands once the defender's escape squares are already limited by other attacking pieces, a chariot or cannon controlling the remaining exits, so the horse's arrival on the hanging corner point closes the last one. See checkmate patterns for how this fits alongside other named mates like 臥槽馬.
Related questions
Is this related to 臥槽馬?
They are different named horse-mate patterns using different squares near the palace; both rely on the horse threatening a corner escape point rather than attacking the general directly.
Does the horse need support to deliver this mate safely?
Usually yes, since an unsupported horse that delivers check can often simply be captured; the pattern normally appears alongside another attacker controlling the capture.
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