Xiangqi

Xiangqi is the Chinese variant of chess, played by millions in China and worldwide. The game features unique elements including a river dividing the board, palace restrictions for certain pieces, and powerful cannons that capture by jumping.

Checkmate or stalemate the opponent's General (King). Unlike international chess, stalemate is a loss for the stalemated player.

Played on a 9x10 board with intersections. The board has a 'river' across the middle and two 'palaces' (3x3 areas). Each player has: 1 General, 2 Advisors, 2 Elephants, 2 Horses, 2 Chariots, 2 Cannons, and 5 Soldiers. Red moves first.

1. The General moves one point orthogonally within the palace (9 points).
2. Advisors move one point diagonally within the palace.
3. Elephants move exactly two points diagonally, cannot cross the river, and are blocked if the intermediate point is occupied.
4. Horses move one point orthogonally then one point diagonally (like a chess knight but can be blocked).
5. Chariots move any number of points orthogonally (like a chess rook).
6. Cannons move like Chariots but capture by jumping over exactly one piece (the 'cannon platform').
7. Soldiers move and capture one point forward. After crossing the river, they can also move sideways.
8. The two Generals can never face each other directly on the same file with no pieces between ('flying general' rule).
9. No stalemate draw - if you cannot move, you lose.

Checkmate or stalemate the opponent's General. Perpetual check or chasing is forbidden and results in a loss for the aggressor. Draws can occur by repetition or agreement.

• *Control the center files - especially the important center file where Generals reside.
• *Develop your Horses and Cannons early for attacking potential.
• *The Cannon is most powerful early when there are many potential 'platforms'; use them aggressively.
• *Keep your General defended - the palace has few escape routes.
• *Horses can be blocked - watch for pieces in their path.
• *Elephants and Advisors are purely defensive - protect your palace.
• *In the endgame, Chariots become dominant. A Chariot can often checkmate alone.

Xiangqi evolved from the same Indian ancestor as international chess around 1,000 years ago. It has been played in China for centuries and remains more popular there than Western chess.