Chinese Chess for Beginners

The pieces, in letters

This board starts with letters on the pieces, so you can learn the moves before learning the characters. Red is at the bottom and moves first.

• K – General: one step sideways or forward/back, never leaves the palace (the 3×3 box with the X).
• A – Advisor: one step diagonally, inside the palace.
• E – Elephant: exactly two steps diagonally, can’t cross the river, blocked if the middle point is occupied.
• H – Horse: one step straight then one diagonally; blocked if the square next to it is occupied.
• R – Chariot: moves like a rook. Your strongest piece.
• C – Cannon: moves like a rook, but captures by jumping over exactly one piece.
• P – Soldier: one step forward; after crossing the river it may also step sideways.

How it differs from Western chess

Pieces stand on the intersections. There is a river across the middle and a palace on each side. The two generals may never face each other on an open file. And if you have no legal move, you lose: stalemate is not a draw.

A simple learning path

1. Play a few games against the Easy computer with letter pieces.
2. Read Xiangqi basics for openings and classic checkmates.
3. Switch the menu to Chinese pieces and move up to Medium on the main Chinese chess page.