象棋 · THE RULES
How to play xiangqi
The board is a grid of 9 files and 10 ranks — pieces stand on the intersections, not the squares. A river divides the two camps, and each general lives in a 3×3 palace. Red moves first; capture the enemy general to win.
The river — the empty rank across the middle. Elephants can't cross it; soldiers grow stronger once they do.
The palace — the 3×3 zone marked with diagonals. Generals and advisors never leave it.
The goal — checkmate the enemy general — or win on time in a timed game.
The starting position — Red at the bottom moves first
THE PIECES
Seven pieces, seven ways to move
Each board animates the piece's legal moves — dots are moves, rings are captures.
General帥 / 將×1
Moves one point orthogonally, and never leaves the 3×3 palace. The two generals may not face each other on an open file. Lose your general, lose the game.
Advisor仕 / 士×2
Moves one point diagonally, always staying inside the palace. The general's closest bodyguard.
Elephant相 / 象×2
Moves exactly two points diagonally and may never cross the river. Blocked if the midpoint is occupied. A purely defensive piece.
Horse馬×2
Moves one point orthogonally then one diagonally outward. Blocked ("hobbled") if the adjacent orthogonal point is occupied — unlike the chess knight, it cannot jump.
Chariot車×2
Moves any distance along open ranks and files — identical to the chess rook, and the strongest piece on the board.
Cannon炮 / 砲×2
Moves like a chariot, but captures differently: it must leap over exactly one piece (the "screen") to take the piece beyond it.
Soldier兵 / 卒×5
Moves one point forward. After crossing the river it may also move sideways — but it can never retreat. Soldiers do not promote.
WINNING & KEY RULES
How games end
將死 · Checkmate
將
Check & checkmate
Attacking the enemy general is check; if it cannot escape, it's checkmate. Here the chariot seizes the general's file while its own advisors block the only side-steps.
困斃 · No moves — loss
困
Stalemate loses
A player with no legal move loses — there is no stalemate draw. Black's general is not in check, but the two soldiers cover every point it could step to.
禁 · Repetition forbidden
禁
No perpetual chasing
Endlessly repeating checks or chases is forbidden. The chariot hounds the horse from rank to rank — the repeating side must vary its move or lose.
和 · Draw
和
Draws
Games are drawn by mutual agreement, or when neither side keeps enough material to force checkmate — two bare generals can circle their palaces forever.
The fastest way to learn is to play
Legal moves are highlighted on the board — you can't make an illegal move.
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