Xiangqi: Chinese chess
Xiangqi: Chinese chess
About the game
Xiangqi, commonly known as Chinese chess or elephant chess, is a strategy board game for two players. Xiangqi is played on a board nine lines wide and ten lines long. As in the game Go, the pieces are placed on the intersections, which are known as points. The game represents a battle between two armies, with the primary object being to checkmate the enemy's general (king). Distinctive features of xiangqi include the cannon (pao), which must jump to capture; a rule prohibiting the generals from facing each other directly; areas on the board called the river and palace, which restrict the movement of some pieces but enhance that of others; and the placement of the pieces on the intersections of the board lines, rather than within the squares. Each player controls an army of 16 pieces; the armies are usually coloured red and black. 1 Generals (or kings) 2 Advisors (assistants) 2 Elephants 2 Horses (or knights) 2 Chariots (or rooks or cars) 2 Cannons 5 Soldiers (or pawns)
How to play
Playing Xiangqi is quite easy, despite all the hieroglyphs and other “subtleties” of the process, especially if you are familiar with the general rules of chess. The game is won if the opponent's king is checkmated or stalemate. This is an important difference between this game and Western chess, where a stalemate results in a draw. Kings cannot meet on the same open column; there must be at least one other piece between them on the same column. The river provides a visual separation between the two banks, its presence only affects two parts: soldiers have increased movement after crossing the river, and elephants cannot cross it. The 3x3 squares marked with two diagonal lines are called palaces or fortresses. Generals and advisers cannot leave them. The cannon moves like a chess rook and captures enemy pieces only if there is exactly one piece between it and the piece being attacked, called a screen. A more detailed description of the figures is available inside the game.
Related "Two players"
more
3.8
3.4
