Xiangqi (), is a two-player Chinese game in a family of strategic board games of which Western chess, Japanese shogi, and the more similar Korean janggi are also members. The character 象 xiàng here has the meaning "image" or "representational", hence Xiangqi can be literally translated as "representational chess". The game, however, is commonly called Chinese chess in the West.

The ancestry of xiangqi is disputed with some historians contending that it originated from Liubo and others stating that it is a relative of the 6th century Indian game of chaturanga (see History below). It is one of the most popular board games of the chaturanga family in the world, especially in Asia. Distinctive features of xiangqi include the unique movement of the pao ("cannon") piece, a rule prohibiting the generals (similar to chess kings) from facing each other directly, and the river and palace board features, which restrict the movement of some pieces.

Rules of the game

Board

Xiangqi is played on a board that is 9 lines wide by 10 lines long. In a manner similar to the game go, the pieces are played on the intersections, which are known as points. The vertical lines are known as files, while the horizontal lines are known as ranks.

Centered at the first through third ranks of the board is a square zone also mirrored in the opponent's territory. The three point by three point zone is demarcated by two diagonal lines connecting opposite corners and intersecting at the center point. This area is known as å®® gÅ?ng , the palace or fortress.

Dividing the two opposing sides (between the fifth and sixth rows) is 河 hé, the river. The river is often marked with the phrases 楚河 chǔ hé , meaning "Han border", a reference to the Chu-Han War. Although the river provides a visual division between the two sides, only a few pieces are affected by its presence: soldiers are promoted after crossing, and elephants cannot cross the river.

The starting points of the soldiers and cannons are marked with a small cross.

Pieces

The two players take command of pieces on either side of the river. One player's pieces are usually painted red (or, less commonly, white), and the other player's pieces are usually painted black (or, less commonly, blue or green). Which player moves first has varied throughout history, and also varies from one part to another of China. Some xiangqi books state that the black side moves first; others state that the red side moves first. Also, some books may refer to the two sides as north and south; which direction corresponds to which color also varies from source to source.

Modern xiangqi pieces are represented by disks marked with a Chinese character identifying the piece and painted in a color identifying to which player the piece belongs. Modern pieces are usually made with plastic, though some sets use pieces made of wood, and more expensive sets may use pieces made of jade. In more ancient times, many sets were simple unpainted woodcarvings; thus, to distinguish between the pieces of the two sides, most corresponding pieces use characters that are similar but vary slightly between the two sides.

General
The generals are labeled with the Chinese character 將 (trad.) / 将 (simp.) jiàng (marshal) on the red side. These pieces are equivalent to the kings of Western chess. Legend has it that originally the pieces were known as emperors, but when an emperor of China heard about the game, he executed two players for "killing" or "capturing" the emperor piece. Future players called them generals instead.

The general starts the game at the midpoint of the back edge (within the palace). The general may move one point either vertically or horizontally, though unlike the king of Western chess, the general may not move diagonally. The general cannot leave the palace under any circumstances; thus, the general can only move to and stay on the 9 points within the palace.

When a general is threatened by an enemy piece, the general is said to be "in check." When the general is in check and unable to escape check on the player's move, it is said to be checkmated, and the player loses the game. A player also loses when his general is not in check, but he can make no legal move that doesn't put the general in check; a stalemate rule does not exist.

Furthermore, in a rule often forgotten by new players of the game, a player cannot make any move that would leave the two generals facing one another on the same file with no other pieces placed in between. In other words, a clear line of sight can never exist between the two generals. This is a very important feature of the game, as the general often plays a role in enforcing checkmate, especially when many of the other pieces have been taken and the board is wide open. Indeed, checkmate remains possible as long as a player retains the general and any single piece, even a soldier, that can cross the river.

Advisor
The advisors (also known as guards or ministers, and less commonly as assistants, mandarins, or warriors) are labeled 士 shì (scholar) for red. They represent civilian government officials. While their origin is probably the same as that of the queen in western chess, their powers are so different that they cannot be said to be equivalent to queens.

The advisors start on either side of the general. They move one point diagonally and may not leave the palace. This effectively means they can only move to and stay on five of the points within the palace. Although their limited movement may cause some to consider them the weakest pieces, they are invaluable for protecting the general, which is indeed their primary function.

Elephant
The elephants are labeled 象 xiàng (elephant) for black and 相 xiàng (minister) for red. They are located next to the advisors and are the equivalent of the bishop of Western chess. These pieces move exactly two points diagonally, and may not jump over intervening pieces. They may not cross the river; thus, they serve as defensive pieces. The rules restricting their movement mean that there are only seven possible points on the board to which they can move.

The Chinese characters for "minister" and "elephant" are homonyms and both have alternative meanings as "appearance" or "image".

Horse

The horses are labeled 馬 mǎ for both black and red in sets marked with Simplified Chinese characters. They begin the game next to the elephants. The horse is similar to the knight in Western chess. It moves one point vertically or horizontally and then one point diagonally away from its former position. It is important to note that the horse does not jump, as does the knight in Western chess. Thus, if there were a piece lying on a point one point away horizontally or vertically from the horse, then the horse's path of movement is blocked and it is unable to move in that direction. Note, however, that a piece two points away horizontally or vertically or a piece a single point away diagonally would not impede the movement of the horse. The diagram on the left illustrates the horse's movement.

Since horses can be blocked, it is sometimes possible to trap the opponent's horse. It is possible for one player's horse to attack the opponent's horse while the opponent's horse is blocked from attacking, as seen in the diagram on the right.

Chariot
A chariots come labelled 車 for black & 俥 for red inside sets marked by owning Traditional Chinese characters & 车 for both black and red around sets marked by having Simplified Chinese characters. Completely triplet one characters come pronounced when jū . Capturing & moving inside a straight line either horizontally or even vertically, a chariot moves & captures exactly prefer the rook around American chess. A chariots run a game on a points at the corners of the board. These are considered to become a strongest piece in the game.

Cannon
A cannons come labeled 包 bÄ?o for red. Prior to firearms were invented, the word intended catapult, referring to the gargantuan catapult utilized to throw the boulder. A title existence similar to English "pow" (the most common onomatopoeia for the sound the gun or cannon makes), is likeliest coincidence. A cannon has there are no same within American chess.

For each one streaming video player has 2 cannons. A cannons run on a row behind the soldiers, 2 points around front of the horses. Cannons move rather the chariots, horizontally & vertically, however capture by jumping exactly of these piece (whether it is friendly or even even enemy); it just can't capture when jumping additional than 1 piece, or while forgoing jumping a piece. Once capturing, a cannon is moved pertinent of the captured piece. A piece terminated which a cannon jumps is known as a bao tai = "cannon platform". Any total of untenanted spaces will survive between a cannon & a cannon platform, or even between a cannon platform & a piece to exist as captured, including there are no spaces (a pieces existence adjacent) within each events. Cannons come right at a beginning of the game once platforms come plentiful, however lose value chop-chop sustaining attrition.

Soldier
Apiece side has 5 soldiers, labeled � zú for red; it is similar to the pawns of American chess. Soldiers come situated in alternating points, a single row back from either a edge of the flow of any stream. It move, & capture (unlike pawns inside American chess) by forward of these point. Another time it own crossed a flow of any stream, it will too move (& capture) 1 point horizontally. Unlike American chess, soldiers might not move deuce points in their foremost move, & no en passant rule. Likewise unlike American chess, while soldiers email a enemy's edge of the board it is non promoted, nor might it retreat; but, it will however move crabwise.

Approximate relative values of the pieces

which are actually to become noted that these are consultative values & that a piece values don't allow positional benefits. Typically the piece is extrthe mighty at a certain intersection every bit in comparison an additional intersection. A chariot at a corner in a beginning of the game is does'nt super utile, however it may be moved to points in which it infects the game great deal extra. Too, a value of a canninside drops when a game goes on due to getting fewer hurdles for have in capturing, when the value of the horse increases slightly due to fewer obstructions. It should become pointed out that typically days, players may value the cannin on or even exceeding the level of a chariot due to its unique attack style. A equivalent may be applied to the horse.

Ending the game

A game terminates while a single streaming video player with success checkmates a more streaming video streaming video streaming video player — that is, while a single player sustaining success threatens a opposing general sustaining a piece & a player with the threatened general has there is no legal moves which would check the general from either existence threatened.

Within Chinese, to say check, one says å°‡ (trad.) / å°† (simp.) jiÄ?ng .

Around American chess, in case the streaming video player's king is non under control & a streaming video player has there is no legal moves available, a game terminates within stalemate and a draw. This is non a pack inside xiangqi; within xiangqi, a streaming video player world health organization has there is no legal moves loses a game.

Inside Amerimight chess, perpetual prevent or even an excessive total of repetitions of position can symptom around the draw. This is non the pack within xiangqi, wherein in case a position is existence recurrent:

A side that perpetually checks sustaining of these piece or even many pieces is ruled to lose under any circumstances unless he blocks a perpetual checking. A side that perpetually chases by owning 1 piece is ruled to lose under any circumstances unless he ends a perpetual chasing. Whenever 1 side perpetually checks & a more side perpetually chases, a perpetually checking side has to prevent or even exist as ruled to lose. Whilst neither side violates a system & two continue non making an surrogate move, a game may be ruled as a draw. While two sides violate a equivalent rule at a equivalent period & each continue non making an replacement move, a game may be ruled as a draw.

Notation

Notational system 1

A book A Chess of Chinadescribes the notational rules of absolute positional information where the ranks of the board come first to 10 from either either nighest to furthermost away, followed by a digit 1 to 9 for files from correct to left. Each values come relative to the moving streaming video player. Moves come so indicated when follows:

So, a usual opening in the game would become written when:

Single. 炮 (32)–35, 馬 (Eighteen)–37

Notational system 2

The notational formulas part described around The Manual of Chinese Chess& utilized by many software system implementations describes positions around proportional terms when follows:

A file statistics come counted from either every streaming video player's correct to both streaming video player's left.

A initials come when follows:

Counsel of movement is indicated via an operator symbol. The plus sign is used to imply send on movement. The minus sign or hyphen is used to show backwards movement. The dot or period or equal sign is used to suggest horizontal or even lateral movement. Whenever a piece (like a horse or even even elephant) at a same time moves two vertically & horizontally, so the + or minus sign is utilized like than the period of time.

So, a usual opening in the game would become written when:

Unity. C2.Quintet H8+7

Gameplay and strategy
Xiangqi plays sooner than American chess for many reasons. Foremost, a barrier of pawns is reduced dramatically. 2nd, a cannons go for it to capture, making the children an extended-range threat early in the game. Additionally, since a general is confined to just moving inside a palace, it may be checkmated additional well unless these are protected by more pieces.

When witharound American chess, a battle between opposing sides is concentrated midmost pack rows for a bulk of the game, this is non the out break in xiangqi. A board is large than a American chess board when a total of pieces is the equivalent (following around less crowding), & there are non when numerous right pieces using long-range moves. Because of this, it potty choose instance to move a single's army of pieces from either place to place in the board, & there is the tendency for the battle to focus on a particular front yard of the board. No very construct of the struggle for control of the center, when around American chess.

Ordinarily, the soldiers don't trend lines both more, and then a conception of pawn structure doesn't play such a heavily role when within American chess.

Defensively, a most common configuration is to leave a general at his starting position, deploy a single adviser & 1 elephant on a 2 points directly before of the general, & to leave the more adviser & the more elephant in their starting positions, to the side of the general. In that sethigher, a paired-up adviser & elephants trend lines both more, & a general is resistant from either attacks by cannons. Nonetheless, using a loss of one consultant or even elephant, a general becomes vulnerable to cannons, & this setup will require to exist as abandoned. the defender can move adviser or elephants out of a general, or even sacrifice the babies by choice, to ward off attack by a cannon.

Them chariots are non usually lined higher together withwithin Chinese chess, when it is a virtually all mighty piece & in doing soh, a streaming video player risks the chances of losing at least of these chariot to an inferior piece of the enemy. Based on the situation, it can be appropriate to position the chariot at one of the corners of the enemy's side of a board, in which these are super hard to displace, & threatens the enemy general.

These are other commons to utilize a cannons independently to control particular ranks & files.

Openings

Since (unlike around American chess) a left & correct flank of a starting setup come proportionate & so tantamount, these are customary to universally produce the foremost move from either the right flank. Starting on the left flank is considered to become needlessly confusing.

A usual opening is to move a cannon to the central column, an opening called 當頭炮 (trad.) / 当头炮 (simp.) dÄ?ng tóu pào:

Unity. C2.5

A usual reply is to advance a horse on the equivalent flank:

I. ... H8+7

This move-&-response is known per rhyme 當頭炮，馬來跳 (trad.) / 当头炮，马æ?¥è·³ (simp.) dÄ?ng tóu pào, mÇŽ lái tiào .

This is ordinarily followed per usual 2nd move, 出车 (trad.) chū jū Where the number 1 streaming video player moves a chariot send on 1 space (commonly the right a single).

A usual reply is to move the right adviser diagonally. 上士 (trad.) shàng shì This is to check a series of cases that leads to the 1st streaming video player quickly checkmating the 2nd.

Less most common 1st moves include:

moving an elephant to the central column advancing a soldier on the third or even seventh file moving the chariot send on by 1 space

General advice for a opening includes rapid development of at least of these chariot, because these are a virtually all mighty piece & a sole long-range piece besides the cannon. the opening is non when much a struggle for control of the center as openings come inside American chess. It might not become the bad move to acquire a single horse to the edge of the board, e.g., to stay away from existence blocked by 1 of one's have pawns that just can't advance. Ordinarily, at least of these horse should exist as moved to the middle.

History
Chinese chess has an extended history. Though its exact origins use at times non eventually been by all odds confirmed, my earliest indications reveal a game might develop been played when early when a 4th century BC, by Meng Changjun e.g.. (Look at chess in early literature or timeline of chess.) Judging by its rules, i potty conclude that a originside of Chinese chess was apparently closely related military strategian in ancient China.

A word xiàngqí's meaning "figure game" can likewise become treated when meaning "constellation game". These are believed by western culture xiàngqí is from either chess, originating in India and adapted in China to use a board of a pre-pre-existent Chinese game that experienced the equivalent title & different system. Occasionally a xiàngqí board's "river" is known as a "heavenly river", which can mean a Milky Way; that previous xiàngqí game might keep around been according to movements of sky objects.

In a period of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, wars were fought for years running. a newly chess was patterned fallowing the array of troops. This was a earliest form of Chinese chess.

Because occasionally remnants of Chinese silk have been dated in Egypt as early as 1070 BC (watch Silk Road) & because of the astounding similarities between xiangqi and an ancient "game" board portrayed in the grave of Egyptian Queen Nefertari (see origins of chess) the two ancient countries can even own influenced 1 a second in the creation of each games. Nefertari's "game" might keep around provided early discoverer by using the first harmonic exemplary upon which xiangqi & more ancient chess variants are patterned. A ancient Chinese game of Liubo may also will have an influence too. Assuming my present day historical records to exist as precise, each Nefertari's "game" & Liubo come just about the thousand years older than xiangqi.

When you took a Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, a sort of chess was popular among a humans. It placed the foundation for the finalized pattern of Chinese chess. Inside ancient days, each highbrows & anti-intellectual enjoyed Chinese chess.

In a period of the reign of Suzong of the Tang Dynasty, Prime Minister Niu Sengru wrote a fictitious story just about chess. That occurred in a cycle of the Baoying period, thus it was known as Baoying chess. Baoying chess got sextuplet pieces. He wrote all about a system of the chess. Baoying chess produced the important influence on the chess around subsequent years.

3 forms of chess form fallowing a Song Dynasty. One of the two consisted of 32 pieces. It were played in the chess board by owning Nine vertical lines & Niner horizontal lines. Popular within those days was a chess board forswearing water mete; the Korean game of janggi is derived from this earliest riverless version. A flow of any stream border was added late, & this form of the game has lasted to the present day.

Using a economic & ethnical development in a period of the Qing Dynasty, Chinese chess entered a newly stage. Several different schools of chess circles & chess players inherit prominence. By using a popularization of Chinese chess, numerous books & manuals on the techniques of swimming chess were published. It played an significant role around popularizing Chinese chess & improving a techniques of play within modern days.

Xiangqi tournaments and leagues

Inside Europe and Asia there are significantly more xiangqi leagues & clubs than in the United States. Apiece European united states typically has its have governing league; e.g., within Britain xiangqi is regulated by the United Kingdom Chinese Chess Association. Asian countries besides own countrywide leagues, like a Malaysia Chinese Chess Association inside Malaysia.

Additionally, there are too many international federations & tournaments. For instance, a Chinese Xiangqi Association hosts many tournaments annually, including a Yin Li & Ram Ventral suction cup Tournaments, which hosts tournaments & competitions bi-annually, though virtually all come limited to players from either member nations.

Xiangqi has spread from either Asia into the United States, where it has gained increasing popularity. Notwithstanding, there remains there is no official league or even countrywide club for xiangqi in the U.S., & xiangqi is primarily played recreationally or even at local clubs, commonly located in Chinatowns.

Rankings

the Asian Xiangqi Federation & its corresponding member associations as well rank players around a benumb format similar to the rankings of chess. A better streaming video player around China, according to a 2005 Chinese National Ratings, is Lv Qin with the rating of 2649.

Xiangqi and computers

As of 2005, the world's best individual xiangqi players remain better than the world's better computer players.

A game-tree complexity of xiangqi is approximately 10¹⁵⁰, and so these are projected that the person top streaming video player is defeated prior to 2010.