The Traditional Board Game Series Leaflet #16: Xiang Qi

XIANG QI
check, and he can do nothing to rec- legal move, the game is similarly by Damian Walker
tify this. His opponent is declared over and his opponent is the winner.
the winner. 14. The game is drawn if
13. If a player otherwise has no neither side can engage the enemy.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Readers interested in xiang qi may learn more by consulting the following
books.
Bell, R. C. Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations, vol. 1,
pp. 66-68.
Murray, H. J. R. A History of Chess, pp. 121-134. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1913.
Parlett, D. The Oxford History of Board Games, pp. 288-290. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1999.
Pritchard, D. Brain Games: The World’s Best Games for Two, pp. 188-
196. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd., 1982.
Copyright © Damian Walker 2011 - http://boardgames.cyningstan.org.uk/

Illustration 3: moves of the pieces. Note the

jumping capture of the cannon on the left,
and the difference in the move of the soldier Board Games at CYNINGSTAN
once across the river. Traditional Board Game Series
(Second Edition)
4 Leaflet #16
 The Traditional Board Game Series Leaflet #16: Xiang Qi The Traditional Board Game Series Leaflet #16: Xiang Qi

the palace. between its own position and the

INTRODUCTION & HISTORY (iii). The elephant moves two piece it is capturing.
The Chinese have their own game underwent changes, and the current square diagonally, but may not
cross the river. Neither may it jump Threatening the General
of chess, called xiang qi, pro- game was formed some time after
nounced “shyang chee”. It was the 13th century. It is now re- over another piece. 8. If the general is threatened
probably descended from the same putedly the most widely played (iv). The horse moves one with capture, it is in check, and the
Indian game as modern European form of chess in the world, a fact square horizontally or vertically, threat must immediately be averted,
chess, and it was first recorded in partly due to the vast population of then one square diagonally further. by moving the general, interposing
the 8th century. its native country. It may not jump over other pieces. a piece between it and its attacker,
As in Europe, chess in China (v). The chariot and cannon or capturing its attacker.
move any distance horizontally or 9. If the two generals are on the
HOW TO PLAY vertically. The chariot never jumps same line, or file, a player may put
over other pieces, and the cannon his opponent in check by moving a
The rules of xiang qi are highly laid out as in Illustration 2.
may not jump unless it is making a piece from between them such that
standardised and widely published
Moving the Pieces capture, as described in rule 7. the generals face each other across
as given here, with no widespread
(vi). Soldiers move one step the otherwise empty file. The op-
variations known. 4. As red is considered a lucky forwards. Once over the river, they ponent must move out of check as
Beginning the Game colour, black is given the first turn. may move one step forwards or in rule 8, and generals may not oth-
Then red plays, turns alternating sideways. erwise face each other on an empty
1. Xiang qi is played on the in- thereafter.
Capturing file.
tersections of a board of 9 lines by 5. A player in his turn moves
10. A player
10. A river divides the two halves, one of his pieces, according to their Enemies
cannot voluntarily
and at each end of several rules of
6. Pieces oth- put himself in
the board is movement, de-
er than the cannon check; the gener-
marked a palace, scribed here and
capture in the als are never cap-
as shown in Illus- shown in Illustra-
same way they tured.
tration 1. tion 3.
move, by landing 11. Perpetual
2. There are (i). The gener-
on the enemy check is not per-
two players, one al may move one
piece and remov- mitted; if positions
black and one red. square horizont-
ing it from the are repeated then
3. Each player ally or vertically,
board. the aggressor must
has 16 pieces: a but may not leave
7. The cannon vary his move.
general, two coun- the palace.
sellors, two ele- (ii). The coun- captures as it Ending the Game
phants, two sellors may move moves, except that
horses, two chari- one square diagon- it must jump over Illustration 2: pieces set out for play. From 12. The game
the bottom left the pieces are the chariot,
ots, two cannons ally, but are simil- exactly one piece, horse, elephant, minister and general; in is over when his
and five pawns, arly confined to of either colour, front of the horses are the cannons, with the general is in
Illustration 1: the empty xiang qi board. soldiers at the front.

2 3