Xiangqi: Chinese chess
About the Game
Xiangqi, commonly known as Chinese chess or elephant chess, is a strategy board game for two players. Xiangqi is played on a board nine lines wide and ten lines long. As in the game Go, the pieces are placed on the intersections, which are known as points. The game represents a battle between two armies, with the primary object being to checkmate the enemy's general (king). Distinctive features of xiangqi include the cannon (pao), which must jump to capture; a rule prohibiting the generals from facing each other directly; areas on the board called the river and palace, which restrict the movement of some pieces but enhance that of others; and the placement of the pieces on the intersections of the board lines, rather than within the squares. Each player controls an army of 16 pieces; the armies are usually coloured red and black. 1 Generals (or kings) 2 Advisors (assistants) 2 Elephants 2 Horses (or knights) 2 Chariots (or rooks or cars) 2 Cannons 5 Soldiers (or pawns)
