General (將/帥)
The commander. Moves one step orthogonally inside the palace and may never face the enemy general on an open file.
Learn Xiangqi (Chinese Chess)
A river splits the board in two. Cannons capture by jumping a screen, horses move in an L, elephants in a diagonal, and the two generals may never face each other. This guide takes you from the pieces to basic checkmates and the main opening systems — then play a game at /xiangqi.
The Board and Seven Pieces
Xiangqi is played on a 9×10 grid divided by a "river". Each side has 16 pieces of seven kinds.
Advisor (士/仕)
The guard. Moves one step diagonally inside the palace.
Elephant (象/相)
Defence. Moves two squares diagonally (the "田"), cannot cross the river, blocked if the centre is occupied.
Horse (馬)
Cavalry. Moves in an L; blocked if the adjacent orthogonal point is occupied ("hobbled leg").
Chariot (車)
The rook. Moves any number of squares orthogonally, cannot jump — the most powerful piece.
Cannon (炮/砲)
Ranged attacker. Moves like a chariot but captures by jumping exactly one screen piece.
Soldier (兵/卒)
Infantry. Moves one step forward; after crossing the river may also move sideways; never backward.
Main Opening Systems
The opening shapes the middlegame. Each system below has its own page with notation, strategic ideas, and common replies.
중포炮二平五병풍마马8进7，马2进3순포炮二平五，炮8平5열수포炮二平五，炮2平5선인지로兵三进一（或兵七进一）기마국马二进三（或马八进七）비상국相三进五（或相七进五）과궁포炮二平六사각포炮二平四졸저포兵七进一，炮2平3오육포炮二平五，炮八平六오칠포炮二平五，炮八平七오팔포炮二平五，炮八进四순하포炮二平五，炮八进二귀배포炮二平五，车一进一，车一平四，炮八退一원앙포炮二平五，马八进七，炮八退一쌍포과하炮二平五，炮八进四반두마炮二平五，兵五进一，马二进三좌포봉거马8进7，马2进3，炮8进4우포과하马8进7，炮2进4반궁마炮8平6，马8进7，马2进3단제마马二进三，马八进九괴각마马二进三，马三进四변마국马八进九쌍정마马二进三，马八进七대병국兵三进一，卒7进1양두사兵三进一，兵七进一철활거车一进一，车一平九
Basic Checkmate Patterns
Horse-and-Cannon (马后炮)
The horse controls the general's escape squares while the cannon behind it delivers checkmate. A classic pattern.
Double Cannons (重炮)
Two cannons line up on the same file; the front cannon acts as the screen for the rear cannon's mate.
Twin Chariots (双车错)
Two chariots alternate checks along ranks and files until the general has no escape.
Smothered Palace (闷宫)
The enemy advisor blocks its own general's gate, allowing a cannon to deliver a "smothered" mate.
Xiangqi vs International Chess
Both are two-player royal games, but the differences are clear: Xiangqi uses a 9×10 board and seven piece types, the cannon captures by jumping a screen, the horse can be blocked, and the generals may not face each other — and there is no queen-like super-piece. To play right away, open /xiangqi.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Xiangqi hard to learn?
- Not at all. Each piece moves by a clear rule: the chariot moves in straight lines, the horse in an L, the cannon captures by jumping a screen, and the soldier moves sideways after crossing the river. You can learn the basics in half an hour.
- Is Xiangqi harder than international chess?
- They are different. Xiangqi's cannon (which captures by jumping) and the rule that the two generals may not face each other are unique; international chess has a stronger queen. Most players find the difficulty comparable.
- Which opening should a beginner learn first?
- Start with the Central Cannon (炮二平五) — it is intuitive and balanced. The usual reply is Screen Horses. Once you know both, explore Adjacent Soldier and Flying Elephant.
- Where can I play Xiangqi for free?
- On YiBoard, open /xiangqi to play free against AI — no signup, no download, with several difficulty levels.