Pieces and Move | How to Play Xiangqi

The soldier (兵, 卒) in xiangqi is a piece that can move and capture one position forward (not diagonally) until it crosses the river, which divides the board into two halves. Once it crosses the river, it can also move and capture one position horizontally, but not backward. A soldier cannot promote if it reaches the end of the board. A soldier is worth 1 point before the river, and 2 points after it has crossed the river. The soldier is also called the pawn in some versions of chess.

The horse (马, 馬) in xiangqi is similar to the knight in chess, but not exactly the same. It moves by first going two positions in one direction (horizontally or vertically), then one position in another direction (diagonally). However, unlike the knight, the horse cannot jump over other pieces. If there is a piece adjacent to the horse along its path, it blocks the horse’s movement. This is called "blocking his leg" or "pinning the horse". The horse is worth 4 points in the opening and midgame, and 4.5 points in the endgame, because it can be easily blocked in the opening but not in the endgame.

The chariot (车, 車) in xiangqi is the same as the rook in chess. It can move and capture orthogonally (horizontally or vertically) as far as there are open positions. It cannot jump over other pieces. The chariot is the most powerful piece in xiangqi, and it is worth 9 points. The chariot is also very effective when coordinating with other pieces, such as the horse and the cannon. However, the chariot should not be sent into dangerous positions where it can be easily attacked by the opponent.

The advisor (士, 仕) in xiangqi is a defensive piece that can only move diagonally one position at a time. There are two advisors, one on each side of the general. They cannot leave the palace, which is a 3x3 area at the center of the back rank. The advisor is worth 2 points. The advisor is mainly used to shield the general from attacks, especially from the cannon1. The advisor is also called the guard in some versions of chess.

The elephant (象, 相) in xiangqi is a piece that can move diagonally exactly two positions. It cannot jump over other pieces, so if there is a piece blocking its path, it cannot complete its move. It can move and capture to an empty or occupied point. The elephant cannot cross the river, which divides the board into two halves. The elephant is worth 2 points. The elephant is mainly used to protect the general and the advisors, and to prevent the opponent's horse from checking the general. The elephant is also called the prime minister in some versions of chess.

The cannon （炮, 砲） in xiangqi is a unique piece that can move and capture differently. It can move as many positions as are open horizontally or vertically, like the chariot. However, to capture an opponent's piece, it must jump over exactly one piece (the cannon mount) along its path. The cannon mount can be a piece from either army. The cannon is worth 4.5 points in the opening and 4 points in the endgame, because there are more mounts available in the opening than in the endgame. The cannon is a very powerful piece that can threaten the enemy’s general and advisors from a distance. The cannon is also called the pao, which is a transliteration of its Chinese name.

The general (将, 帅) in xiangqi is the most important piece, as the goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent's general. The general can move and capture one position at a time, horizontally or vertically, but it is restricted to moving within the palace, which is a 3x3 area at the center of the back rank. The general is also subject to a special rule that prohibits it from facing the enemy general directly along the same file with no intervening pieces. If that happens, the flying general move may be executed, in which the general to move may cross the board to capture the opponent general. The general can also protect other pieces (usually chariot or soldier) to check the opponent.