Every guide, opening, endgame and strategy article, newest first.
Xiangqi vs Go: how China's two greatest board games differ in goal, pieces, and mindset, and which one might suit you best. A clear beginner comparison.
How to play Cờ Tướng, Vietnamese Chinese chess: trap the enemy general on a 9×10 board. Learn the pieces — Tướng, Mã, Xe, Pháo, Tốt — the rules, and first moves.
The Immortal Points the Way opening (仙人指路) is Xiangqi's most flexible first move. Learn the probing pawn thrust, Black's best replies, and key middlegame plans.
The Palcorner Cannon opening (士角炮) is a flexible Xiangqi system. Discover how the advisor-corner cannon builds a harmonious, transposition-rich setup for Red.
The Three-Step Tiger opening (三步虎) develops a chariot in just three moves. Learn the edge-cannon and horse setup, its main plans, and the most common mistakes.
The Sandwiched Horse Cannon (夹炮屏风) is a sharp screen-horse defense in Xiangqi. Learn its counterattacking ideas, main lines, and the typical pitfalls to avoid.
The Single Horse Defense (单提马) is a solid, low-theory Xiangqi setup. Learn how one raised horse and an open chariot file create a resilient, adaptable position.
The central cannon vs screen horse battle is the heart of Xiangqi opening theory. Learn how China's most famous attack meets its classic defense.
Learning how to choose a xiangqi opening starts with knowing your own style. This guide matches attackers, defenders, and all-rounders to the right setup.
Explore the best aggressive xiangqi openings for players who love to attack, from the Central Cannon to fast chariot assaults down the flanks.
A practical guide to building your first xiangqi opening repertoire: pick one attack, one defense, and learn the ideas that make them work together.
Master the best xiangqi defensive setups, from the classic Screen Horse to solid advisor-and-elephant formations that keep your general safe and counter hard.
Learn to spot a xiangqi mate in one instantly. Master the chariot, cannon, horse, and flying-general patterns that trap the enemy general in a single move.
A xiangqi mate in two relies on forcing moves. Learn the sacrifice, decoy, and battery patterns that turn a check into an unstoppable two-move checkmate.
Master the discovered attack in xiangqi, where moving a cannon's screen unveils a hidden threat. Learn discovered checks, double checks, and the flying general.
Xiangqi pins and skewers immobilize enemy pieces along a line. Learn chariot pins, the absolute flying-general pin, and cannon skewers to win material.
The xiangqi fork tactic wins material in one move. Master the horse fork, chariot double attacks, and soldier forks that hit two targets at once.
The cannon and chariot mate is Xiangqi's most feared attacking duo. Learn the hollow cannon, iron-bolt, and back-rank patterns that finish games fast.
