Chinese Chess
象棋 Xiangqi
The world's most-played board game. 9×10 board, river crossing, and unique pieces.
🌏 Played by an estimated 500 million people — more than Western chess
🐉
Medium
Decent challenge
You play Red (bottom) · AI plays Black (top)
What Is Chinese Chess (Xiangqi)?
Chinese Chess, known as Xiangqi (象棋), is one of the oldest and most widely played strategy board games in the world. With roots tracing back over 1,500 years to the Tang Dynasty, Xiangqi is believed to have influenced — and been influenced by — other chess variants across Asia. Today it is played by an estimated 500 million people, primarily in China, Vietnam, and Southeast Asia, making it the world's most popular board game by player count.
The game is played on a 9×10 board. Unlike Western chess, where pieces occupy squares, Xiangqi pieces are placed on the intersections of lines. A horizontal "river" divides the board into two territories. Each player controls 16 pieces representing ancient Chinese military forces.
How It Works
The goal is to checkmate the opponent's General (将/帅), similar to the king in Western chess. Generals are confined to a 3×3 "palace" and cannot directly face each other on an open file — this is the "flying general" rule. Soldiers start moving one step forward, but gain the ability to move sideways after crossing the river. Cannons must jump exactly one piece to capture. Elephants guard the home territory but cannot cross the river. This blend of restrictions and unique movement rules creates extraordinary strategic depth.
How do you play Chinese Chess?
Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) is played on a 9×10 board divided by a river. Each player has 16 pieces with unique movement rules. The goal is to checkmate the opponent's General (king). Pieces include Generals (confined to palace), Advisors (diagonal within palace), Elephants (2-step diagonal, home side only), Horses (L-shape but can be blocked), Chariots (rook-like), Cannons (capture by jumping one piece), and Soldiers (forward only, sideways after river).
What is the difference between Chinese Chess and regular Chess?
Chinese Chess is played on a 9×10 board with pieces placed on intersections. The board features a river dividing the two sides. Unique pieces like the Cannon (must jump one piece to capture) and Elephant (can't cross the river) have no equivalent in Western chess. Generals are confined to a 3×3 palace. The "flying general" rule forbids generals from facing each other on an open file. There is no castling, en passant, or pawn promotion.
How does the cannon move in Xiangqi?
The Cannon moves like a Chariot (rook) for regular non-capturing moves — any number of spaces horizontally or vertically. But to capture, it must jump over exactly one intervening piece (called a "cannon platform" or 炮台). It cannot capture without jumping, and cannot jump over two or more pieces to make a capture. This makes cannons extremely versatile in open positions but require teamwork to attack.
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