Chinese Chess Rules

Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) Rules

Xiangqi, often called Chinese Chess, is a two-player strategy game. These rules are written as an accessible text version of the standard game and are based primarily on the World Xiangqi Federation rules.

Goal

Win by checkmating the opposing General, or by leaving the opponent with no legal move. In Xiangqi, stalemate is a loss for the player who has no legal move.

The Board

The board has 9 vertical lines and 10 horizontal lines. Pieces are placed on the intersections of the lines, not inside squares.

A river runs across the middle of the board between the fifth and sixth ranks. Each side also has a 3-by-3 palace marked by diagonal lines at the center of its back three ranks.

Pieces

Each side begins with 16 pieces:

• 1 General
• 2 Advisors
• 2 Elephants
• 2 Horses
• 2 Chariots
• 2 Cannons
• 5 Soldiers

Red and Black may use different Chinese characters for equivalent pieces, but the movement rules are the same.

Starting Position

Red moves first.

From either player's point of view, the back rank is arranged from left to right as:

Chariot, Horse, Elephant, Advisor, General, Advisor, Elephant, Horse, Chariot.

The two Cannons begin two ranks in front of the back rank, on the second and eighth files.

The five Soldiers begin three ranks in front of the back rank, on files 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.

Black uses the same arrangement on the opposite side of the board.

General

The General moves one intersection at a time horizontally or vertically. The General must remain inside the palace.

A player may not make a move that leaves their own General under attack.

The two Generals may not face one another directly on the same file with no piece between them. A move that creates such an open line is illegal.

Advisor

An Advisor moves one intersection diagonally. Advisors must remain inside their own palace.

Elephant

An Elephant moves exactly two intersections diagonally.

It cannot jump. If the first diagonal intersection is occupied by any piece, the Elephant is blocked.

An Elephant may not cross the river and therefore remains on its own side of the board.

Horse

A Horse moves one intersection horizontally or vertically and then one intersection diagonally outward, producing an L-shaped move.

Unlike a Knight in international chess, a Horse cannot jump. If the first orthogonal intersection of its move is occupied, the Horse is blocked in that direction.

Chariot

A Chariot moves any number of open intersections horizontally or vertically. It cannot jump over pieces.

Cannon

When not capturing, a Cannon moves like a Chariot: any number of open intersections horizontally or vertically without jumping.

To capture, a Cannon must jump over exactly one intervening piece, called the cannon mount or screen, and land on the first opposing piece beyond that screen on the same rank or file.

The intervening screen may belong to either player. A Cannon cannot capture without a screen, and it cannot jump over two or more pieces.

Soldier

Before crossing the river, a Soldier moves one intersection straight forward.

After crossing the river, it may move one intersection forward or one intersection horizontally to either side.

A Soldier never moves backward and is not promoted when it reaches the far side of the board.

Capturing

Except for the Cannon's special capture rule, a piece captures by moving to an intersection occupied by an opposing piece using its normal movement. The captured piece is removed from the board.

You may not move onto an intersection occupied by one of your own pieces.

Check and Checkmate

A General is in check when an opposing piece threatens to capture it on the next move.

A player whose General is in check must make a legal move that removes the threat. This can be done by moving the General, capturing the attacking piece, or blocking the attack when the attacking piece and situation allow it.

If there is no legal move that removes the check, the General is checkmated and that player loses.

Stalemate

If a player is not in check but has no legal move, that player loses. This is different from international chess, where stalemate is normally a draw.

Repetition and Perpetual Check

Xiangqi has special rules governing repeated checking and repeated chasing of pieces. Under World Xiangqi Federation competition rules, a player may be required to change a prohibited perpetual sequence and can lose for continuing it after the required warning or ruling.

For casual play, a practical rule is: do not intentionally repeat an endless sequence of checks. If a repetition dispute occurs, use the current World Xiangqi Federation rules or agree to a draw before play begins.

Ending the Game

A player wins when the opponent is checkmated, stalemated, resigns, or otherwise loses under the agreed competition rules.

A game may be drawn by agreement or under applicable repetition or insufficient-winning-material rules.

Accessibility Notes

Because Xiangqi pieces occupy line intersections, describe locations by file and rank rather than by square. Number files from left to right from Red's point of view as 1 through 9, and ranks from Red's back rank toward Black as 1 through 10. Using a consistent coordinate system makes verbal play and tactile-board play much easier.

When announcing a move, say the piece name, starting coordinate, and ending coordinate. Example: “Red Chariot from file 1 rank 1 to file 1 rank 4.”

Rules source: World Xiangqi Federation, World Xiangqi Rules.