Xiangqi
Master ancient strategy. Command your army. Checkmate the General.
Xiangqi, also known as Chinese Chess, is one of the world's oldest and most strategic board games. Command an army of generals, advisors, elephants, horses, chariots, cannons, and soldiers as you battle across the river dividing the battlefield. Every piece moves differently, creating endless tactical possibilities and rewarding careful planning, bold attacks, and precise defense.
Two players face off on a board divided by a river, each commanding a unique army with specialized pieces. Players take turns moving one piece at a time, capturing opposing pieces and strengthening their position.
Protect your General while developing your forces to control the board. Cannons can leap over a single piece to capture, horses can be blocked, and elephants cannot cross the river. As soldiers advance into enemy territory, they gain additional movement options, making every stage of the game feel different.
The game ends when one player's General is checkmated or cannot escape capture. Victory belongs to the player who outmaneuvers their opponent and secures control of the battlefield.
Objective
Checkmate your opponent's General by placing it under attack with no legal escape.
Setup
- The game is played by two players.
- Each player begins with 16 pieces:
- 1 General
- 2 Advisors
- 2 Elephants
- 2 Horses
- 2 Chariots
- 2 Cannons
- 5 Soldiers
- Arrange the pieces in their standard starting positions.
- Red moves first.
Taking a Turn
- Move one of your pieces according to its movement rules.
- Capture an opposing piece by moving onto its space, if allowed.
- End your turn after making one legal move.
Piece Movement
General
- Moves one point horizontally or vertically.
- Must remain inside the 3×3 palace.
- The two Generals may never face each other directly on the same file with no pieces between them.
Advisor
- Moves one point diagonally.
- Must remain inside the palace.
Elephant
- Moves exactly two points diagonally.
- Cannot jump over occupied intersections.
- Cannot cross the river.
Horse
- Moves one point orthogonally, then one point diagonally outward.
- Cannot move if the first orthogonal point is occupied.
Chariot
- Moves any number of points horizontally or vertically.
- Cannot jump over pieces.
Cannon
- Moves like a Chariot when not capturing.
- To capture, it must jump over exactly one piece (called the screen) before landing on an opponent's piece.
Soldier
- Before crossing the river, moves one point forward only.
- After crossing the river, may also move one point horizontally.
- Soldiers never move backward.
Check and Checkmate
- A General under immediate threat is in check.
- Players must remove the threat on their next move.
- If no legal move removes the threat, the General is checkmated and the game ends.
Winning the Game
You win by:
- Checkmating your opponent's General.
- Leaving your opponent with no legal moves (under the rules used by most modern tournaments).
Draw
A game may end in a draw by mutual agreement or under applicable repetition or stalemate rules, depending on the rule set being used.