Xiangqi: pieces to your first opening

1. A river, two palaces, one objective

Xiangqi starts with 32 pieces on a board of 90 intersections, not squares. Red moves first on these boards. Our coordinates run A–I from left to right and 1–10 from top to bottom; Red starts at the bottom. The river separates ranks 5 and 6. Each general and its advisors stay in their own palace: files D–F, ranks 8–10 for Red and 1–3 for Black. A move captures an enemy piece by replacing it at its destination, subject to that piece’s rules; never land on a friendly piece. Win when the opponent has no legal move: checkmate if their general is attacked, or stalemate if not. You do not physically capture the general.

2. Read the board

Which pair of pieces is restricted to its own palace?

The general takes one horizontal or vertical step; the advisor takes one diagonal step. Both remain inside their own palace. The elephant has a different boundary: its own half of the board, not the palace. Chariots, horses and cannons may cross the river.

3. The chariot: straight lines, no jumping

The chariot travels any distance horizontally or vertically, never diagonally. Every intervening intersection must be empty. It may capture the first enemy piece on that line by landing on its point, but cannot pass through any piece or land on a friendly one. It may cross the river. Try it: Move the red chariot from A8 to F8 along the open rank.

B8, C8, D8 and E8 are empty, and F8 is a free destination. A horizontal line is a rank; a vertical line is a file. A blocker anywhere before F8 would stop this route, regardless of its color. Check the full line rather than just the destination. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

4. The horse: an L-shape and a blocked leg

The horse ends two intersections away along one axis and one along the other: an L-shape. Think of one horizontal or vertical step, then one diagonal step outward. The first straight step is the horse’s leg. A piece of either color on that point blocks both moves in that direction; unlike a chess knight, the horse cannot jump over it. Try it: Move the red horse from B8 to C6. Select it first to compare the highlighted destinations.

B8 to C6 uses the empty leg at B7: one step upward, then diagonally upward-right. The red soldier at C8 blocks the rightward leg, so D7 and D9 are unavailable. It does not block C6, which uses a different leg. The Chinese mnemonic “马走日” describes the shape, not a jumping move. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

5. The cannon: a clear path or one screen

Without a capture, the cannon travels horizontally or vertically through empty intersections. To capture, exactly one intervening piece—the screen—must stand between the cannon and an enemy target on the same line. The screen may belong to either player. Zero screens or two screens make the capture illegal. Try it: Capture the black chariot at B3 with the red cannon at B8.

Read the B-file from B8 toward B3. B7 and B6 are empty, the black soldier at B5 is the only screen, and B4 is empty. The cannon lands on B3 and removes the chariot; the screen stays at B5. Do not use a screen for a move to an empty point. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

6. The elephant: two diagonal steps, no river crossing

The elephant moves exactly two diagonal steps: two intersections horizontally and two vertically. The intervening diagonal point is the elephant’s eye. If either player has a piece there, the move is blocked. An elephant must stay on its own side of the river. Red 相 and Black 象 follow the same rule. Try it: Move the red elephant from C10 to E8. Identify its eye before moving.

The route is C10 through D9 to E8. D9 is the eye and is empty, while E8 remains on Red’s side of the river. A red or black piece at D9 would block this move. The Chinese mnemonic “相走田” describes the corner-to-corner diagonal of a two-by-two grid; it does not allow arbitrary diagonal distances. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

7. The advisor: one diagonal in the palace

The advisor moves one diagonal step and must remain inside its own three-by-three palace. It cannot move horizontally or vertically. From the starting formation, its diagonal routes reach only five palace points. Red 仕 and Black 士 are the same piece type. Try it: Move the red advisor from D10 to E9, one diagonal step.

D10 to E9 is one step diagonally upward-right and both points lie in Red’s palace. D10 to D9 would be a straight move, so it is not an advisor move. E9 to C7 would also be illegal: it is too far and leaves the palace. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

8. The general: palace steps and no facing

The general moves one intersection horizontally or vertically within its own palace, never diagonally. It cannot move onto a point attacked by an enemy. The two generals may not face each other on the same file with no piece between them. This restriction applies when moving any piece, not just a general. Try it: Move the red general from E10 to D10. Inspect the central soldier separating the generals.

D10 is one horizontal step from E10, inside Red’s palace and safe in this position. The soldier at E6 separates the generals on the E-file before the move. Any move that leaves an empty file between the two generals is illegal. Checkmate ends play; you do not capture the general on these boards. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

9. The soldier: forward, then sideways

Before crossing the river, a soldier moves one intersection forward only. After crossing, it may move one forward, left or right, but never backward or diagonally. It captures with the same movement and does not promote on the last rank. On this board Red advances toward smaller rank numbers; Black advances toward larger ones. Try it: Move the red soldier from C5 to D5. It has already crossed the river.

The river lies between ranks 5 and 6. Red at C5 is across it, so D5 is a legal sideways step; C4 and B5 are other available destinations in this exercise. C6 would be a backward move and is forbidden. Red at C7, before crossing, could move only to C6. Every move must also leave your own general safe.

10. Never leave your general exposed

A piece move follows its movement pattern but exposes your general to attack. Is it legal?

General safety and the no-facing-generals rule constrain all moves, not only the general’s moves.

11. Your first central cannon

From the standard position, move the cannon H8 to E8. Follow this common opening to see how the pieces develop.

No screen is needed for a non-capturing cannon move. The central file becomes available for future pressure.

12. Central cannon and screen horses

Review six half-moves. Watch both sides develop horses and chariots. Return to an earlier move and compare the pieces’ open lines.

1. Start: all pieces are on their usual intersections. Red moves first.
2. Red moves the cannon onto the central file. This common opening brings the cannon toward the opposing palace.
3. Black develops a horse. Its leg is clear.
4. Red also develops a horse rather than repeatedly moving one attacker.
5. Black develops the other horse, making a screen in front of the palace.
6. Red brings the chariot toward the cleared horse file. It cannot jump over pieces.
7. Black also activates a chariot. Continue studying development, then compare with your own game.

13. Seal the palace

Red to play: find any checkmate in one move. Several correct moves may exist.

The opponent is in check and every legal escape is blocked. A mere check is not mate.

14. The edge palace

Red to play: find any checkmate in one move. Several correct moves may exist.

The opponent is in check and every legal escape is blocked. A mere check is not mate.

15. Find the finishing line

Red to play: find any checkmate in one move. Several correct moves may exist.

The opponent is in check and every legal escape is blocked. A mere check is not mate.

16. Checkmate is not the only loss

Under Xiangqi rules, a side not in check has no legal move. What happens?

Stalemate loses in Xiangqi. Local repetition here is simplified; perpetual-check and chase tournament adjudication is not implemented.

17. Review a real decision

Try same-device play. For each move ask: is it legal, does my general remain safe, and which piece is inactive? Afterward compare the opening with the six-move notebook. Next, open an endgame and put your checkmate ideas into practice.