Chinese Chess (Xiangqi): Strategy on the Battlefield Board

Chinese chess (xiangqi) is played daily by tens of millions of people across China and the Chinese diaspora. It is one of the oldest chess variants in the world, encoding a specifically Chinese military and philosophical worldview.

The Board: River and Fortress

The xiangqi board is a 9x10 grid divided by a river. Each end contains a fortress within which the generals and advisors are confined.

The Pieces

Chariots (ju) are the most powerful, moving orthogonally any distance. Cannons (pao) capture by jumping over exactly one piece. Soldiers (zu/bing) gain sideways movement after crossing the river.