How to Play Xiangqi (Chinese Chess): Rules & Beginner Guide
Xiangqi (象棋), often called Chinese chess in English, is a two-player strategy game played on a board of 90 points. Each player has 16 pieces, including a general, chariots, horses, cannons, elephants, advisors, and soldiers.
If you already know Western chess, some ideas will look familiar, but Xiangqi plays quite differently. Pieces move on intersections rather than inside squares, cannons capture by jumping over another piece, elephants cannot cross the river, and the two generals can never face each other directly along an open file.
If this is your first game, you do not need to memorize everything at once. Learn how the seven pieces move first, then add the special rules as you play.
What Is Chinese Chess (Xiangqi)?
Xiangqi is a two-player, perfect-information board game. Both players can see the entire board, and there are no dice, hidden cards, or random events.
The goal is to checkmate the opposing general. Red moves first, and the two sides then alternate turns until the game ends in a win, loss, or draw.
Xiangqi is traditionally played in China and is also popular in Vietnam, where it is known as cờ tướng, as well as in Chinese communities around the world.
The Xiangqi Board and Basic Components
A Xiangqi board has 9 vertical lines and 10 horizontal lines, creating 90 points where pieces can stand. Unlike Western chess, pieces are placed on the intersections of the lines rather than inside squares.
A river divides the board into two halves. Each player also has a 3×3 palace, where the general and advisors must stay.
The river and the palace are important because they directly affect how several pieces move.
| Feature | Xiangqi | Western Chess | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board | 9 × 10 lines (90 points) | 8 × 8 squares | 19 × 19 lines (361 points) |
| Where pieces sit | On intersections | Inside squares | On intersections |
| Pieces per side | 16, in 7 types | 16, in 6 types | Unlimited stones |
| Do pieces move after placement? | Yes | Yes | No |
| Main goal | Checkmate the general | Checkmate the king | Control territory |
| Promotion | None | Yes | Not applicable |
| Captured pieces return to play? | No | No | Not applicable |
How Many Pieces Are in Xiangqi?
A complete Xiangqi set contains 32 pieces, with 16 pieces for each side.
Each player has:
| Piece | Red Character | Black Character | Number per Side |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 帥 | 將 | 1 |
| Advisor | 仕 | 士 | 2 |
| Elephant | 相 | 象 | 2 |
| Horse | 傌 | 馬 | 2 |
| Chariot | 俥 | 車 | 2 |
| Cannon | 炮 | 砲 | 2 |
| Soldier | 兵 | 卒 | 5 |
That gives each side one general, two advisors, two elephants, two horses, two chariots, two cannons, and five soldiers.
You may see different English names in books and apps. For example, the chariot is sometimes called a rook, and the soldier is sometimes called a pawn. "Chariot" and "soldier" are more common in English Xiangqi materials.
What Do Red and Black Represent?
Red and Black are simply the two sides. Their armies contain the same number and types of pieces.
Red moves first in standard Xiangqi. Diagrams usually place Red at the bottom of the board and Black at the top.
The colors do not give the pieces different movement rules.
How Do You Set Up a Chinese Chess Board?
Setting up Xiangqi is simple once you know the starting pattern.
The back rank is arranged from one side to the other as:
Chariot – Horse – Elephant – Advisor – General – Advisor – Elephant – Horse – Chariot
The general starts in the center of the palace.
The two cannons are placed on the third rank, one on each side of the center. The five soldiers are placed on the fourth rank, with one soldier on every other file.
Your opponent uses the same arrangement on the opposite side of the river.
The two generals therefore start on the same central file, with pieces between them.
Who Moves First?
Red moves first.
In casual games, players can decide who takes Red by agreement or by a random choice. Once the sides are chosen, Red makes the first move.
What Happens During a Game?
After Red's first move, the players alternate turns.
On each turn, you move one piece to another legal point. You can move to an empty point or capture an opposing piece.
A normal game moves through three broad phases:
- Opening: Players develop their pieces and prepare their positions.
- Middlegame: Pieces come into contact and tactical exchanges become more common.
- Endgame: Fewer pieces remain, and accurate calculation becomes especially important.
There is no passing. If you have a legal move, you must make one.
There is also no castling, en passant, or promotion in Xiangqi.
How Do the 7 Xiangqi Pieces Move?
Learning the seven pieces is the most important step for a new player.
1. The General
The general (帥/將) moves one point horizontally or vertically.
It must remain inside the 3×3 palace.
It captures in the same way, by moving one point horizontally or vertically onto an opposing piece.
There is one important additional rule: the two generals can never face each other directly along the same file with no piece between them. This is called the flying general rule.
2. The Advisor
The advisor (仕/士) moves one point diagonally.
It must remain inside the palace, so it has only five possible positions: the four corners and the center.
Advisors are mainly defensive pieces and often help protect the general from attacks.
3. The Elephant
The elephant (相/象) moves exactly two points diagonally.
It cannot cross the river, so each elephant remains on its own side of the board.
The elephant also cannot jump. If another piece occupies the point halfway along its diagonal move, the elephant cannot move in that direction. This intermediate point is often called the elephant's eye.
For example, if an elephant wants to move two points diagonally upward but another piece sits on the point between its starting and destination points, that move is blocked.
4. The Horse
The horse (傌/馬) moves one point horizontally or vertically and then one point diagonally outward.
Its movement is similar to the L-shaped movement of a chess knight, but there is an important difference:
The Xiangqi horse cannot jump over a blocking piece.
If a piece occupies the point immediately next to the horse in the direction of its first step, that direction is blocked. This is commonly called hobbling the horse's leg (蹩马腿).
For example, if your horse wants to move upward and then diagonally to the upper-right, check the point directly above the horse first. If another piece occupies that point, the horse cannot make that move.
5. The Chariot
The chariot (俥/車) moves any number of points horizontally or vertically, as long as the path is clear.
It cannot jump over another piece.
The chariot captures by moving along the same straight line and landing on an opposing piece.
Because it has long-range movement and is not restricted by the river or palace, the chariot is one of the most powerful and mobile pieces in Xiangqi.
6. The Cannon
The cannon (炮/砲) moves like a chariot when it is not capturing. It can move any number of points horizontally or vertically as long as the path is clear.
Capturing works differently.
To capture an opposing piece, the cannon must jump over exactly one piece between itself and the target. That intervening piece is called the screen.
For example:
- No piece between the cannon and target → the cannon cannot capture.
- Exactly one piece between them → the cannon can capture.
- Two or more pieces between them → the cannon cannot capture.
This is one of the most important rules to understand when learning Xiangqi.
7. The Soldier
The soldier (兵/卒) moves one point forward.
Before crossing the river, it can only move forward.
After crossing the river, it can move either:
- one point forward, or
- one point sideways.
A soldier can never move backward.
There is also no promotion. Even if a soldier reaches the far side of the board, it does not become another piece.
How Does Capturing Work in Xiangqi?
Capturing is straightforward for most pieces.
You capture an opposing piece by moving your piece onto its point according to the movement rules of that piece. The captured piece is removed from the board and does not return later.
The cannon is the exception because it needs exactly one screen when capturing.
| Piece | How It Captures | Main Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| General | One point horizontally or vertically | Must stay inside the palace |
| Advisor | One point diagonally | Must stay inside the palace |
| Elephant | Two points diagonally | Cannot cross the river; eye can be blocked |
| Horse | L-shaped movement | First step can be blocked |
| Chariot | Any distance horizontally or vertically | Cannot jump |
| Cannon | Jumps over exactly one screen | Needs exactly one intervening piece |
| Soldier | One point forward; sideways after crossing | Cannot move backward |
Capturing is not compulsory. You can choose a different legal move unless capturing is necessary to get out of check.
After a capture, it is worth checking what your opponent can capture in return. A piece that appears to be won may simply be part of an exchange.
What Are the Special Rules in Chinese Chess?
The basic movements are only part of Xiangqi. A few special rules are particularly important for beginners.
What Is Check?
A check (將軍, jiāng jūn) occurs when your move puts the opposing general under direct threat of capture.
For example, a chariot moving onto an open file toward the opposing palace may give check.
If your general is in check, your next move must remove the threat.
How Do You Respond to Check?
There are several common ways to escape check:
- Move the general to a safe point.
- Capture the attacking piece.
- Block the line of attack when the checking piece can be blocked.
The correct response depends on the type of attack.
For example, a chariot check along a file can sometimes be stopped by placing another piece between the chariot and the general.
A horse check is different because a horse does not attack along a straight line. In some positions, blocking the horse's leg point can stop the attack.
A cannon check also works differently because the cannon needs exactly one screen to capture.
Before moving your general, look for all possible ways to answer the check. Sometimes blocking or capturing the attacking piece is safer than moving the general.
What Is Checkmate?
Checkmate (將死, jiàng sǐ) occurs when a general is in check and there is no legal way to escape.
The defending player may be unable to:
- move the general,
- capture the attacking piece,
- block the attack, or
- otherwise remove the threat.
The game ends immediately when checkmate occurs. You do not need to physically capture the general.
What Is the Flying General Rule?
The two generals can never face each other directly along the same file with no piece between them.
For example, imagine the two generals are on the central file and your advisor is the only piece between them. You cannot move that advisor away if doing so would leave the two generals facing each other.
This rule is easy to forget, especially when the board becomes less crowded.
Before moving a piece from the central file, check whether it is the only piece separating the two generals.
Why Can Some Pieces Not Move?
A piece may be unable to move for several different reasons:
- The general and advisors cannot leave the palace.
- An elephant cannot cross the river.
- An elephant may be blocked at its eye.
- A horse may have its leg blocked.
- A chariot cannot jump over pieces.
- A cannon needs exactly one screen to capture.
- Any piece may be unable to move if doing so would leave its own general in check.
When Is a Move Illegal?
A move is illegal if it breaks the movement rules of the piece or leaves your own general in check.
For example, you cannot:
- move a horse through a blocked leg,
- move an elephant across the river,
- move an advisor outside the palace,
- move a soldier backward,
- move a chariot through another piece,
- make a cannon capture without exactly one screen, or
- move a piece away from the central file if that would make the two generals face each other.
What Happens If You Have No Legal Move?
In Xiangqi, having no legal move is not a draw.
If the player whose turn it is has no legal move, that player loses.
This is different from the standard stalemate rule in Western chess and is an important rule to remember when learning Xiangqi endgames.
How Do You Win, Lose, or Draw?
A Xiangqi game can end in several ways.
| Result | Common Situation |
|---|---|
| Win | Checkmate, opponent has no legal move, resignation, or timeout |
| Loss | Your general is checkmated, you have no legal move, you resign, or your time expires |
| Draw | Players agree to a draw or the position meets the applicable draw rules |
Rules concerning repetition, perpetual check, perpetual chase, and move-count limits can vary between rulesets and competitions. If you are playing in a tournament or online competition, check the rules used by that event.
Why Does Checkmate Win the Game?
The objective is to leave the opposing general with no legal way to escape attack.
Once checkmate has occurred, the game is over. The general does not need to be captured.
What Is a Draw?
Draws can occur in Xiangqi, although the exact conditions depend on the ruleset being used.
Common situations include an agreed draw and positions that meet the relevant repetition, material, or move-count requirements.
For competitive play, always use the official rules for the event rather than relying on a general rule of thumb.
What Happens When a Player Resigns?
A player may resign at any point.
When a player resigns, the opponent wins.
In timed games, a player may also lose when their clock runs out, subject to the rules of the particular competition.
How Should a Beginner Play the First Game?
Your first game does not need to be perfect. Concentrate on seeing how the pieces work together and avoid giving away pieces for free.
What Should You Do in the Opening?
A useful opening principle is to develop your pieces and free your chariots.
The chariots begin in the corners and are often blocked by their own pieces. Moving a horse or another piece can open a route for a chariot.
Another common opening is the central cannon (當頭炮), where a cannon moves toward the center and immediately puts pressure on the opponent's position.
You may also encounter the screen horse (屏風馬), a common defensive setup in which the horses help protect the center.
You do not need to memorize these openings before playing your first game. Understanding why the pieces move is more useful at this stage.
Why Shouldn't You Keep Moving the Same Piece?
Every move gives you one opportunity to improve your position.
If you move the same piece repeatedly while the rest of your army remains undeveloped, your opponent may use the time to activate several pieces.
Instead, look for moves that improve more than one part of your position: develop a piece, protect your general, create a threat, or open a useful line.
How Do You Protect Your General?
Pay attention to the pieces around your palace, especially the advisors and elephants.
You should also watch for open lines leading toward your general. Chariots and cannons can become dangerous when files and ranks around the palace are opened.
Do not move defensive pieces simply because they have a legal move. Before moving one, consider what line it is currently blocking or what piece it is protecting.
When Is It a Good Time to Capture?
A capture is usually worth considering when it wins material, improves your position, or leads to a favorable exchange.
Before capturing, ask one simple question:
What can my opponent capture after I take this piece?
Approximate piece values can provide a rough starting point:
| Piece | Approximate Value |
|---|---|
| Chariot | 9 |
| Cannon | 4.5 |
| Horse | 4 |
| Advisor | 2 |
| Elephant | 2 |
| Soldier before crossing the river | 1 |
| Soldier after crossing the river | 2 |
These numbers are only guidelines. A piece's practical value depends on its position, mobility, and the stage of the game.
How Do You Avoid Losing Pieces?
Before making a move, quickly check what your opponent's chariots, cannons, and horses can attack.
Also look at your opponent's last move. It may have created a threat that is more important than your original plan.
For a beginner, this simple routine is useful:
What does my move threaten? What can my opponent capture? What checks does my opponent have?
You will catch many basic blunders just by asking those questions.
Common Beginner Mistakes in Chinese Chess
Attacking Without Protecting Your General
It is easy to become focused on attacking an enemy piece and forget about your own palace.
Before starting an attack, make sure your general is not exposed to a simple check.
Not Knowing Each Piece's Range
New players often forget one of the basic restrictions:
- Elephants cannot cross the river.
- Advisors cannot leave the palace.
- Soldiers cannot move backward.
- Horses can be blocked at the leg.
- Cannons need a screen to capture.
Spend some time moving each piece around an empty board until these rules feel familiar.
Ignoring Cannons, Horses, and Chariots
These three pieces create many of the tactical threats in Xiangqi, but they attack in different ways.
A chariot attacks along open ranks and files.
A horse attacks in an L-shaped pattern and can be blocked at its leg.
A cannon attacks through exactly one screen when capturing.
Before making a move, check all three.
Capturing Everything You Can
Just because you can capture a piece does not mean you should.
A capture may expose your chariot, open a file toward your own general, or allow your opponent to make a stronger capture.
Look at the position after the capture before deciding.
Ignoring Your Opponent's Next Move
Try not to play only according to your own plan.
After choosing a move, ask:
What is my opponent likely to do next?
If the answer is a check, a winning capture, or a strong threat, reconsider your move.
Panicking When You Are in Check
When your general is checked, do not automatically move it.
First check whether you can:
- capture the attacker,
- block the attack, or
- move the general to a safe point.
Sometimes the simplest defensive move is also the strongest one.
How to Improve at Chinese Chess
Once you know the rules, you can improve through a combination of tactical practice, real games, and basic endgame study.
Master the Seven Piece Movements
You should be able to recognize a blocked horse leg or elephant eye without having to stop and work it out every time.
The more automatic these rules become, the more attention you can give to the position itself.
Practice Basic Checkmate Patterns
Start with simple positions involving checks and basic mating combinations.
Practice both sides of the position: try to find the checkmate, then try to find the best defense.
This helps you recognize tactical patterns during real games.
Learn Simple Opening Principles
You do not need to memorize long opening variations when you are starting out.
Focus on:
- developing your pieces,
- freeing your chariots,
- keeping your general reasonably safe,
- avoiding unnecessary moves with the same piece, and
- watching the center and open lines.
Once these ideas make sense, you can start studying openings such as the central cannon and screen horse.
Practice Looking for Your Opponent's Reply
Before making a move, consider the strongest response your opponent has.
You do not need to calculate a long sequence every time. Start with one question:
If I make this move, what is the most forcing thing my opponent can do?
Checks, captures, and immediate threats are good places to look first.
Learn Basic Endgames
Endgames are useful because there are fewer pieces on the board, making it easier to understand why certain moves work.
Start with basic positions involving a chariot, cannon, horse, soldiers, and the general. Learn a few standard mating patterns and common drawn positions.
Review Your Games
Playing games is important, but reviewing them afterward is where you can identify repeated mistakes.
When you lose, look for the first moment when the position changed significantly. Ask:
- Did I miss a check?
- Did I leave a piece undefended?
- Did I overlook a cannon screen?
- Did I move a piece that was blocking a horse or chariot?
- Did I ignore my opponent's threat?
You do not need to analyze every move to learn something useful from a game.
Common Xiangqi Terms Every Beginner Should Know
| Term | Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Check | 將軍 | A direct attack on the general |
| Checkmate | 將死 | A check that cannot be escaped |
| Capture | 吃子 | Taking an opponent's piece |
| Exchange | 兌子 | Trading pieces |
| Sacrifice | 棄子 | Giving up material for a tactical or positional gain |
| First move / Initiative | 先手 | Having the initiative or forcing the opponent to respond |
| Second move / Response | 後手 | Responding to the opponent's play |
| Opening | 開局 | The early phase of a game |
| Middlegame | 中局 | The main tactical phase |
| Endgame | 殘局 | The phase with fewer pieces remaining |
These terms appear frequently in Xiangqi books, game records, videos, and online discussions.
Quick Reference: How the 7 Xiangqi Pieces Move
| Piece | Movement | Main Restriction |
|---|---|---|
| General | 1 point horizontally or vertically | Must stay inside the palace |
| Advisor | 1 point diagonally | Must stay inside the palace |
| Elephant | 2 points diagonally | Cannot cross the river; eye can be blocked |
| Horse | 1 point orthogonally, then 1 point diagonally | First step can be blocked |
| Chariot | Any distance horizontally or vertically | Cannot jump |
| Cannon | Moves like a chariot; captures by jumping one screen | Needs exactly one screen to capture |
| Soldier | 1 point forward; sideways after crossing the river | Cannot move backward |
Xiangqi Rules to Remember Before Your First Game
If you only remember a few rules at first, remember these:
- Red moves first.
- Pieces move on intersections, not inside squares.
- The general and advisors must stay inside the palace.
- Elephants cannot cross the river.
- Horses can be blocked at the leg.
- Cannons need exactly one screen to capture.
- Soldiers cannot move backward.
- The two generals cannot face each other directly.
- If your general is in check, you must remove the threat.
- If you have no legal move, you lose.
Once these rules are familiar, you are ready to play a complete game.
Chinese Chess FAQ
How Many Pieces Are There in Chinese Chess?
A complete Xiangqi set has 32 pieces, with 16 pieces for each player.
Each side has one general, two advisors, two elephants, two horses, two chariots, two cannons, and five soldiers.
How Many Types of Pieces Are There in Chinese Chess?
There are seven types of pieces:
- General
- Advisor
- Elephant
- Horse
- Chariot
- Cannon
- Soldier
Each type has its own movement rules.
Who Moves First in Chinese Chess?
Red moves first.
The players may decide who takes Red in a casual game, but the Red side always makes the opening move.
Why Can a Horse Sometimes Not Move?
A Xiangqi horse cannot jump over a piece in the same way that a Western chess knight can.
If a piece occupies the point immediately next to the horse in the direction of its first step, that movement direction is blocked. This is called hobbling the horse's leg.
How Does the Cannon Capture in Chinese Chess?
A cannon captures by moving in a straight line and jumping over exactly one piece before landing on an opposing piece.
With no screen or with two or more screens, the cannon cannot make that capture.
What Can a Soldier Do After Crossing the River?
After crossing the river, a soldier can move one point forward or one point sideways.
It still cannot move backward and it does not promote.
Can the Two Generals Face Each Other?
No.
The two generals cannot stand on the same file with no piece between them. A move that creates this position is illegal.
How Do You Win in Chinese Chess?
You win by checkmating the opposing general or under other winning conditions recognized by the applicable rules, such as the opponent having no legal move, resigning, or losing on time.
The general does not need to be physically captured.
Is Chinese Chess Difficult to Learn?
The basic movement rules are relatively compact, so you can learn the seven pieces in one sitting.
The harder part comes later: recognizing tactical threats, understanding cannon screens and horse blocks, and calculating your opponent's replies.
You can start playing after learning the basic movement rules and add the more advanced ideas as you gain experience.
Conclusion
The easiest way to learn Xiangqi is to start playing rather than trying to memorize every rule before your first game.
Learn the seven pieces, set up the board, and remember the few special rules that make Xiangqi different from Western chess: the palace, the river, the flying general rule, the blocked horse, and the cannon's screen.
After a few games, these rules will become much easier to recognize. From there, tactical puzzles, basic endgames, opening principles, and game reviews will help you build a stronger understanding of Chinese chess.
Sources and further reading: This guide is intended as a beginner-friendly overview of standard Xiangqi rules. Rules concerning repetition, perpetual check, perpetual chase, move-count limits, and other tournament situations can vary by ruleset, so players should consult the official rules used by their tournament, federation, or online platform.
