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Play Chinese chess online in local two-player or simple computer mode, with legal-move hints, undo, and restart controls.
Chinese Chess
Play locally or practise against a computer that evaluates the position and searches future moves according to the selected level.
Searches several moves for both sides and weighs material, position, and checks.
Captured pieces
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Chinese chess, also known as Xiangqi, is a two-player strategy game played on a board of nine files and ten ranks. The river divides the two sides, while each palace limits the movement of the General and Advisors. This browser game uses traditional Chinese-character pieces and clear move highlights. You can take turns with another player on the same device or switch to a simple computer opponent for casual practice.
No download is required. Select a piece to view its available destinations, then select a highlighted intersection to move or capture. The status area follows the current turn and board position, so beginners can learn the basic movement patterns without memorizing every rule before starting.
Red moves first. If you select the wrong piece, select another piece belonging to the same side. In computer mode, wait for the computer response before beginning the next turn.
The Chariot moves any distance horizontally or vertically but cannot jump. The Horse moves in an L-shaped pattern and can be blocked at its first orthogonal step, a rule often called the horse-leg restriction. The Elephant moves two points diagonally, cannot cross the river, and is blocked when its midpoint is occupied. Advisors move one point diagonally inside the palace, while the General moves one point orthogonally inside the palace.
The Cannon moves like a Chariot when it is not capturing. To capture, it must jump over exactly one intervening piece, called the screen. Soldiers move one point forward before crossing the river. After crossing, they may also move one point sideways, but they never move backward.
In the opening, develop the Chariots, Horses, and Cannons without trapping them behind your own pieces. Before every capture, check whether the opponent can immediately recapture. Cannons need a screen to attack, so removing or adding a single piece can completely change a Cannon's line. Crossed-river Soldiers gain more movement options, but their inability to retreat makes timing important.
Use the highlighted destinations to learn how palace, river, horse-leg, and elephant-eye restrictions affect each move. When a plan fails, undo one or two moves and identify the first position where a piece became undefended. Deliberate review usually teaches more than restarting immediately.
Local two-player mode is designed for two people sharing one screen and taking alternate turns. Computer mode selects from legal moves using a lightweight strategy, making it suitable for learning the interface and testing basic ideas. It is not intended to match a dedicated Xiangqi engine, provide tournament-strength analysis, or estimate an official playing rating.
The game runs in the browser, so performance depends on the device and other open tabs. If a move response becomes slow, close resource-heavy pages and restart the position. Refreshing the browser may clear the current game state.
The board enforces the fundamental movement and blocking patterns for Chariots, Horses, Elephants, Advisors, Generals, Cannons, and Soldiers. It also tracks turns, captures, selected pieces, and available destinations. These checks are useful for introductory play and prevent many obvious out-of-range or blocked moves.
However, this version does not fully implement every formal Xiangqi condition. Check, forced responses to check, checkmate, stalemate, repeated positions, perpetual checking, and all draw or tournament adjudication rules may be incomplete. A position accepted by this page may therefore be illegal under competition rules.
Do I need an account? No. The board can be opened and played directly in a modern browser.
Can I play against a strong AI? The included opponent is intentionally simple. Use a specialist Xiangqi platform or engine for deep search and serious analysis.
Why can a Cannon not capture a nearby piece? A Cannon capture requires exactly one piece between the Cannon and its target. With no screen or more than one intervening piece, the capture is illegal.
Can an Elephant cross the river? No. Each Elephant remains on its own side of the river and can also be blocked at the diagonal midpoint.
Is this suitable for tournament rule study? It is best used for casual play and movement practice. Consult a complete rules reference for competition preparation, adjudication, or formal instruction.