Xiangqi
Checkmate the other king — or leave it nowhere to go.
Red moves first and the two sides alternate. Checkmate wins, and a side with no legal move at all loses as well. The winner takes the stake from the loser, a draw settles nothing, and the colours swap for the next game.
Learn the basics. Then take a seat.
- 01
Nine files by ten ranks, split by the river. The king and advisors stay inside the palace, and elephants never cross.
- 02
A horse is blocked by a piece beside it, an elephant by the point it steps over, and a cannon captures only by jumping exactly one piece.
- 03
Checkmate or a total block decides it. Sixty moves without a capture, a threefold repetition or an agreement is a draw, and perpetual check loses.
Before you play
How is perpetual check judged?
When the same position appears three times, a side that gave check on every one of its moves in between loses; otherwise the repetition is a draw.
How many chips does a game move?
The stake chosen for the table: the winner takes one stake from the loser, and a draw leaves both balances unchanged. Chips are for practice and have no monetary value.
Ready for Xiangqi?
Open this game’s lobby, choose a play mode and check the room rules before starting.