Chinese Chess: Moves, Check and Stalemate

In Chinese Chess, or Xiangqi, red moves first and the players alternate moving one piece. Aim to checkmate the opposing general while keeping your own safe. On BluffKing, having no legal move also loses the game. Do not carry over the Western-chess assumption that stalemate is a draw.

Learn the main movement restrictions

• The chariot moves along a rank or file without crossing another piece.
• The horse moves in an L shape, but an occupied adjacent “leg” point can block it.
• The cannon moves like a chariot when not capturing. A capture must jump exactly one intervening piece.
• The elephant moves two points diagonally, cannot cross the river and cannot cross a blocked eye.
• The advisor moves one diagonal step inside the palace. The general moves one orthogonal step inside it; the generals cannot face one another on an open file.
• Soldiers move one point forward. After crossing the river they may also move sideways, but never backwards.

Two useful movement examples

A cannon capture: your cannon and an enemy chariot share a file, with exactly one piece between them. The cannon can capture across that screen. With no intervening piece, it cannot capture directly; with two, it cannot jump both. The screen may belong to either side.

A blocked horse: to move two points forward and one sideways, check the point immediately in front of the horse. A piece there blocks those forward L-shaped moves. An empty destination alone does not make the move legal.

Answer check before continuing your attack

You are in check when an opposing piece threatens your general. Your next move must remove that threat: move the general, capture the attacking piece or interpose when the position permits it. An attractive attacking move that leaves your general under attack is not a legal response.

Checkmate means being in check with no legal escape. Stalemate means having no legal move even without being in check; it also loses here. A useful beginner question before each move is: will my general still be safe afterwards?

Clocks and practice on BluffKing

Each move allows 45 seconds; running out loses. Both sides receive the same time. Three computer strengths let you begin with simpler opposition. Expand the Chinese move notation to follow a move you missed. The clock applies separately to each move, rather than being one long bank of time for the whole game.

Use your first game to avoid leaving pieces undefended, and the next to check for threats to your general before every move. Later, study chariot coordination or cannon screens. Computer difficulty settings are product choices, not official competitive ratings or certification of your skill.

Results and rule boundaries

The winner receives the hand’s practice-chip stake from the loser; draws settle nothing, and colours swap for the next game. These chips have no monetary value and cannot be purchased or redeemed. Both players see the complete board. The server checks movement, check and game endings, and membership adds no time or special rules.

If your practice requires a particular competition’s perpetual-check, perpetual-chase or draw provisions, check the full platform rules first. This article covers the foundations you need to start playing.

Practise and keep reading

Game features and rules · Open the game lobby · Full rules and scoring

Which of the seven games should you play? · What to check when choosing a platform