Flying General
白脸将 · bái liǎn jiàng · the bare faced generals
The rule that the two Generals may never face each other down an open file with no piece in between, which makes an empty middle file a weapon.
If the file between the two Generals is clear, the position is illegal, and the player who would create it is not allowed to make that move. In effect each General attacks the other along an empty file, which is why the rule is called flying.
This turns into real tactics constantly. Clearing the last piece off the middle file can be check, because the opponent is suddenly forbidden from staying where they are. It can also win material, since a piece pinned by the flying general rule cannot legally move away.
In practice
Before every capture on the middle file, ask whether the Generals will be able to see each other afterwards. That one question wins and saves more games than any opening line.
Related terms
- General将 / 帅The piece you must protect and the piece your opponent must trap, confined to the nine points of its own palace.
- Palace九宫The three by three square marked with a cross at each end of the board, which the General and the two Advisors may never leave.
- Pin牵制Holding a piece in place because moving it would expose something worse behind it, often the General.
- Checkmate将死A check the defender cannot answer, which ends the game immediately in the attacker's favour.