How to play Xiangqi: rules and setup

The board has 9 vertical lines and 10 horizontal lines, forming 90 intersections. Pieces stand on these intersections, not inside the squares. A one-point move means moving to the next intersection.

The paired symbols below show the Red and Black versions of each piece. A move must follow the piece's rule and leave your own general safe.

Each turn moves one of your own pieces from its current intersection to a different, legal destination. You cannot pass your turn.

1. Move or capture

   An empty destination is a normal move. If an opposing piece occupies the destination and the capture is legal, remove it and put your piece there. A captured piece does not return to the board. You may choose any legal move; a capture is not compulsory simply because one is available.

2. Friendly pieces and obstructions

   You cannot capture your own piece or place two pieces on the same point. Check the whole route: chariots need a clear line, horses a clear leg, elephants a clear eye, and capturing cannons exactly one screen.

3. Keep your general safe

   A move is illegal if your general is still attacked afterwards, even if the moving piece follows its own movement rule. This includes moving away the only piece separating the two generals.

Red is at the bottom and advances upwards. These diagrams label files a–i and ranks 1–10; e4 → g5 means moving from e4 to g5. The positions are simplified to focus on one rule. A × marks an illegal destination, not a piece.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  A blocked horse leg

  The red horse on e4 cannot reach d6 or f6 because the soldier on e5 blocks its first straight step. The route to the right is open: e4 → g5 is legal. A piece of either colour can block the leg.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  A blocked elephant eye

  The elephant on e3 would pass through the eye f4 to reach g5. The red rook on f4 blocks that move. It can still play e3 → c5 because the eye d4 is empty.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  Elephants cannot cross the river

  The red elephant on c5 cannot reach a7 or e7 even along a clear path: those points are in the opponent's half. It may return to e3. Black elephants are likewise confined to their own half.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  Generals and advisors stay in the palace

  The general on d2 may move to e2, but not to c2 outside the palace. Generals move one point horizontally or vertically; advisors move one point diagonally along palace diagonals. A general cannot use an advisor's diagonal movement.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  A cannon captures over exactly one screen

  The cannon on e4 uses the soldier on e6 as a screen to capture the rook on e9. The screen stays on the board. The cannon cannot jump the screen to the empty e7 point: a non-capturing move needs a clear rook-like path.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  Soldiers before and after crossing

  The red soldier on e5 has not crossed the river, so it can only advance e5 → e6, not sideways to d5 or f5 or backwards to e4. From e6, future moves may go one point forward or sideways when legal. Soldiers never promote or move backwards.

A general is in check when an opposing piece threatens to capture it. The player in check must remove every such threat immediately on the next move.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  Ways to escape check

  Move the general to a safe point, capture the checking piece, or block its attack where the piece's movement allows it. Against a horse, blocking its leg can work. Against a cannon, moving the screen away or adding a second screen can work. Every response must leave the general safe from all opposing pieces.

  Here the red rook on e8 checks the black general on e10. Black escapes the line with e10 → d10.

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  The generals cannot face each other

  The generals may stand on the same file only while at least one piece separates them. Neither general may move onto an open file facing the other, and no other piece may move away to expose that line.

  The horse on e5 is the only piece between the generals. Moving it to c6 or g6 would expose the two generals, so those moves are illegal despite matching the horse's movement pattern.

Capturing more material does not itself win the game. The result depends on the general's safety, the available legal moves and the game's finish conditions.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  Checkmate

  If the general is in check and there is no legal response, the checked side loses immediately. A single check is not a win if the opponent can still escape.

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  Before the moveAfter the move

  No legal moves is still a loss

  Unlike chess, Xiangqi treats having no legal move on your turn as a loss, even without check. After rook a9 → d9 here, the black general on e10 is not checked, but d10, e9 and f10 are all attacked.

• Resignation and time

  A player who resigns loses. In a timed game, a player whose clock runs out loses. If the chosen time control has an increment, it is added after a completed move; check the time control before starting.

• Agreement or no possible win

  WXF 3.2.A recognises a draw by agreement, when neither side can win, or when an arbiter declares a draw under the rules. An unaccepted draw offer does not end the game.

• 50 moves each without a capture

  WXF 2018 Article 3.2.D defines a draw after 50 moves by each player without a capture, subject to arbiter verification. A soldier move does not restart this count; a capture does. ChessPlayX automatically counts 100 consecutive turns without capture.

Repetition can lead to a draw or a loss for an offending player. Do not apply chess's threefold repetition rule to Xiangqi; see the competition section below.

This section uses WXF 2018 Articles 3.1.C/H/I, 3.2.B/C and 19–20. Perpetual check and chase require examining a cycle of moves; one check or one threat to capture does not establish an offence.

• Repetition without a one-sided violation

  A repeated position has the same piece arrangement and the same side to move. On its fourth occurrence, the game is drawn if neither side must change its play: neither is violating the repetition rules, or both have the same type of repeating conduct. A third occurrence alone is not an automatic draw.

• Perpetual check and chase

  Perpetual check means checking on every turn of a repeating cycle. Prohibited perpetual chase means repeatedly threatening the same target and forcing the opponent to meet the threat. If one side checks perpetually while the other chases perpetually, the checking side must change its play. ChessPlayX warns the responsible side at the third occurrence; continuing the violation to the fourth occurrence after the warning loses the game.

• Not every attack is a prohibited chase

  A capture threat must be legal. Chasing a protected piece is normally exempt if its defender can legally recapture. Genuine exchanges between the same piece types are also exempt, as are attacks by a general or soldier and attacks on a soldier that has not crossed the river. A horse or cannon repeatedly chasing a chariot can still be prohibited even if the chariot is protected.

The exemptions above are a summary, not a replacement for WXF's full classification. Consider legal captures, the chased piece, legal recaptures and both players' actions. In tournaments the arbiter applies the published rules; on ChessPlayX, watch for a warning to vary your moves.

• Mistake: Letting a horse jump over blockers like a chess knight.

  Instead: The first straight point is the horse's leg. A piece of either colour on that point blocks the move in that direction.

• Mistake: Capturing with a cannon with no screen or two screens.

  Instead: The screen may belong to either side and stays on the board. With no screen or two or more screens, the capture is illegal.

• Mistake: Promoting a soldier on the last rank.

  Instead: Captures in the same directions it moves, never diagonally. A soldier on the last rank can only move sideways; it does not promote.

• Mistake: Assuming no legal moves without check means a draw.

  Instead: Unlike chess, Xiangqi treats having no legal move on your turn as a loss, even without check. After rook a9 → d9 here, the black general on e10 is not checked, but d10, e9 and f10 are all attacked.

1. Check the general first

   Before moving, look for checks and the file between the generals. Identify the intervening piece: would moving it leave a legal position?

2. Count the blockers

   Find the horse's leg, the elephant's eye and the cannon's screen. Compare the positions before and after a move to check your prediction.

3. Keep pieces supporting each other

   Practise activating rooks, horses and cannons with open routes. Avoid leaving isolated, undefended pieces. Look at your opponent's threats before seeking a capture.

These are practice suggestions, not compulsory rules or a winning formula. Capturing is optional when another legal move is available.

1. 9 × 10 intersections, 16 pieces per side, Red moves first.
2. Generals and advisors stay in the palace; elephants cannot cross the river. Horses and elephants have blocking points.
3. Cannons capture over one screen. Crossed soldiers can move sideways but never backwards or promote.
4. Resolve check and do not expose facing generals. Checkmate and no legal moves both lose; repetition follows WXF 2018.

1. 1Practise both sidesOpen a local board and move both sides to check movement and captures.›
2. 2Practise with puzzlesFind a move in positions with a specific objective.›
3. 3Play against AIChoose a suitable level and apply the rules in a complete game.›
4. 4Compare Chess and XiangqiLearn how the pieces, boards and game endings differ.›