Xiangqi

Xiangqi

Xiangqi, also called Chinese chess, is a fun board game for two players. It is very popular in China and many other places with large Chinese communities, like in Vietnam.

Xiangqi is played on a board with nine lines across and ten lines up and down. The pieces are placed where the lines cross, called points. In the middle of the board, there are two special squares called palaces where each player’s pieces start. Between the two players’ areas is a line called the river. This river changes how soldiers move and stops elephants from crossing.

Each player has 16 pieces, usually red and black. The pieces are flat circles with Chinese characters showing what they are. The pieces can be made from plastic, wood, or even jade.

The Pieces

• General: Also called kings, generals start in the middle of the back edge, inside the palace. They can move one spot orthogonally but cannot leave the palace.
• Advisor: Advisors start next to the general and move one spot diagonally, staying inside the palace.
• Elephant: Elephants start next to the advisors and move two spots diagonally but cannot jump over pieces or cross the river.
• Horse: Horses start next to the elephants and move one spot orthogonally and then one spot diagonally, but can be blocked by pieces.
• Chariot: Chariots start at the corners of the board and move any distance orthogonally but cannot jump over pieces.
• Cannon: Cannons start behind the soldiers and move like chariots, but can only capture by jumping over one piece.
• Soldier: Soldiers start one row back from the river and move forward one spot at a time. After crossing the river, they can also move sideways. They cannot move backward.

Xiangqi has a long history. Early talks about a game called xiangqi go back to the Warring States period. By the Southern Song dynasty, xiangqi looked much like it does today. The game grew in popularity, with many books and guides to help people learn and get better.

Today, Xiangqi is played in leagues and clubs all over the world. Each European country usually has its own league, like the United Kingdom Chinese Chess Association. Asian countries also have their own leagues, such as the Malaysia Chinese Chess Association. There are also international federations and tournaments, like the Chinese Xiangqi Association.

Xiangqi is also popular in computer competitions. The game is very complex, and computer programs play it in similar ways to chess programs, using different engines and graphical interfaces.