The rules of Chinese chess (xiangqi) are not complicated, but beginners usually need one clear pass over four things: how pieces move, how they capture, what check means, and how a game ends. This guide follows that order, and by the end you can start a game in your browser.
1. The board and its coordinates
The board is formed by 9 vertical files and 10 horizontal ranks crossing at 90 points. Pieces sit on those intersections, not inside squares. The empty band across the middle is the river, which splits the board into two halves.
- Files are numbered one to nine from each player's right-hand side.
- The river matters for soldiers (they may move sideways only after crossing it) and for elephants (they may never cross it).
- At each end is a palace: a 3×3 area marked with diagonals, the only place the general and advisors may stand.
Two special intersections per side hold the cannons at the start; the soldiers stand on the rank in front of them. The diagonal lines exist only inside the palaces — elephants move in a "field" shape but do not use those lines.
2. How the seven pieces move
Chariot (rook) — any distance along a rank or file. It is the strongest piece on the board; a chariot that never joins the attack is usually the reason a beginner loses.
Horse (knight) — one point straight then one point diagonally, an L-shape. The catch is the horse leg: if the point immediately next to the horse in the direction it is leaving holds any piece, that move is blocked. Horses are often jammed in the centre, so players push a soldier or move to the flank to free them.
Cannon — moves exactly like a chariot, any distance, but captures only over exactly one intervening piece. That screen mechanic is why the opening move "central cannon" immediately threatens the opponent's centre pawn.
Soldier (pawn) — one point forward each move, never backward. Before crossing the river it cannot move sideways; after crossing, it may also step one point left or right. Small as it is, a soldier across the river is worth far more, and in endgames it frequently decides the result.
Elephant (bishop) — two points diagonally, a "field" shape. It can never cross the river, and it cannot move if the midpoint of that diagonal is occupied (the "elephant eye" is blocked).
Advisor (guard) — one point diagonally, and only inside the palace. It is the general's closest bodyguard.
General (king) — one point orthogonally, inside the palace only. One extra rule: the two generals may never face each other along an open file — something must stand between them.
3. Capturing and check
A piece captures by moving onto an intersection occupied by an enemy piece, removing it. Apart from the cannon's screen, every piece captures exactly the way it moves.
When a piece attacks the enemy general, that is check. The side in check must answer immediately, and there are only three legal answers: move the general to a safe point, interpose a piece to block the line, or capture the checking piece. If none is possible, it is checkmate and the game is over.
4. Winning and drawing
You win by checkmating the opponent, by leaving them with no legal move (stalemate counts as a loss in xiangqi, not a draw), or when they resign or run out of time.
The game is drawn when neither side can force a win, when perpetual checking or chasing is ruled against (the position is then drawn), by agreement, or when the natural move limit is reached without a result.
5. Three things beginners should remember
- Tempo is expensive. Red moves first, so every opening move should develop a piece rather than shuffle the same one twice.
- Keep your chariot, horse and cannon connected. Pieces that defend and support each other are far stronger than pieces attacking alone.
- Never chase material while ignoring a check. Answering check always takes priority over grabbing a piece.
Once the rules are solid, the next step is openings. Continue with the Central Cannon and Immortal Guides the Way guides to build the most common systems, then take them into a real game.
Want to test your understanding right now? Open the AI game, pick the easiest level, and play through the moves from this article — it is the fastest way to make the rules stick.