Xiangqi strategy and tactics

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 7m

Golden Hook Horse in Xiangqi: The 金钩马 Checkmate

Golden hook horse xiangqi mate (金钩马): a Chariot sacrifice drags the centre Advisor away, then the Horse checks from the palace corner.

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 6m

Angler Horse in Xiangqi: How the 钓鱼马 Mate Works

The angler horse xiangqi mate (钓鱼马) uses a Horse just outside the palace to cover a corner and the centre while a Chariot checks. Verified examples.

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 5m

Eight Corner Horse in Xiangqi: The 八角马 Checkmate

The eight corner horse xiangqi mate (八角马): a Horse on one palace corner freezes the General on the opposite corner, and a Chariot finishes.

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 6m

Tiger Silhouette Checkmate in Xiangqi: The 侧面虎 Mate

The tiger silhouette checkmate (侧面虎) puts a Horse on the enemy soldier rank to box in the General while a Chariot checks. Engine-verified examples.

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 6m

Flanking Trio in Xiangqi: Three Pieces, One Wing (三子归边)

Flanking trio xiangqi attacks (三子归边) gather a Chariot, Horse and Cannon on one wing of the palace. See why three pieces win, with a verified mate.

XiangqiPlay TeamOct 1, 2026 8m

Xiangqi Strategy Guide: Openings, Middlegame and Endgame

A complete xiangqi strategy guide: opening principles, middlegame plans, attacking and defending the palace, smart trades and endgame technique.

Palcorner Horse Checkmate: How the 挂角马 Mate Works

The palcorner horse checkmate (挂角马) lands a Horse on a front corner of the palace. See a verified mate, how to set it up and how to defend it.

Lying Trough Horse in Xiangqi: The 卧槽马 Checkmate

The lying trough horse in xiangqi (卧槽马) checks from beside the enemy palace and can win a Chariot too. Learn the mate, the fork and the defences.

Double Horse Checkmate in Xiangqi: The 双马饮泉 Pattern

The double horse checkmate in xiangqi (双马饮泉) uses one Horse as a gatekeeper and the other as a rolling attacker. Follow a verified mate in three.

Smothered Mate in Xiangqi: The Cannon's 闷宫 Checkmate

Smothered mate in xiangqi (闷宫) lets one Cannon mate a General boxed in by its own Advisors. See the verified setup, the defences and the traps.

Double Cannon Checkmate in Xiangqi: How 重炮 Works

The double cannon checkmate xiangqi players call 重炮: one Cannon screens for the other. Verified examples, three versions, defences and mistakes.

Heaven and Earth Cannons in Xiangqi: The 天地炮 Mate

Heaven and earth cannons xiangqi players call 天地炮 pair a central Cannon with one on the back rank. See a verified mate, the setup and the defences.

Big Blade Cuts the Heart in Xiangqi: The 大刀剜心 Mate

Big blade cuts the heart xiangqi players call 大刀剜心: a Chariot takes the palace-centre Advisor to break the defence. A verified forced line and defences.

Trapping Pieces in Xiangqi: Winning a Piece With No Escape

Trapping pieces in xiangqi wins material without a capture: take away every safe square, then attack. See the rim Horse and corner Chariot traps.

Removing the Defender in Xiangqi: Deal With the Guard First

Removing the defender in xiangqi means capturing, deflecting or blocking the piece that guards your target. Two engine-checked examples show how.

Double Check in Xiangqi: Why the General Usually Has to Run

Double check in xiangqi (双将) hits the General from two pieces at once. Learn why it usually has to move, and the rare cases where one block works.

Eunuch Chasing the Emperor: Xiangqi's Soldier Checkmate

Eunuch chasing the emperor (太监追皇帝) is a xiangqi mate where one Soldier checks the General again and again until it has no room left.

XiangqiPlay TeamSep 30, 2026 5m

Xiangqi Checkmate Threats: How to Win Material With Them

Xiangqi checkmate threats win material when one move threatens mate and attacks a piece at once. See a verified example and learn to build your own.

XiangqiPlay TeamSep 30, 2026 8m

Cannon Behind the Horse: Xiangqi's 马后炮 Checkmate

The cannon behind the horse xiangqi mate (马后炮) turns a Horse into a screen and an escape blocker at once. Learn the setup, defenses and mistakes.

How to Solve Xiangqi Puzzles: A Step-by-Step Method

Learn how to solve xiangqi puzzles with a simple routine: read the position, list forcing moves, count escape points and test every defense first.

Xiangqi Piece Values: What Every Piece Is Really Worth

Xiangqi piece values explained: approximate points for the Chariot, Cannon, Horse and more, and how each piece's worth shifts with the position.

When to Trade Pieces in Xiangqi: A Practical Guide

When to trade pieces in xiangqi: simplify when ahead, avoid swaps when behind, keep your defenders, and count the endgame before every exchange.

Mr. Tan WeiApr 29, 2026 8m

Essential Xiangqi Tactics: Forks, Pins, and Discovered Attacks

Master the essential tactical patterns of Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng): forks, pins, skewers, and discovered attacks. Learn how Chariots, Horses, and Cannons combine to win material and crack open the enemy palace.

The Double Cannon Attack: A Devastating Xiangqi Weapon

The Double Cannon Attack is one of the most feared weapons in Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng). Learn how to stack two Cannons on a file, use screens for checkmate, and crush the enemy General inside the palace.

Zhang WeiApr 26, 2026 9m

GM Lê MinhApr 23, 2026 8m

Horse and Chariot Coordination: The Engine of a Winning Attack

In Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng), the Horse and Chariot are the engine of every winning attack. Learn how to coordinate their movement, control key files, and build unstoppable threats against the enemy palace.

FM Elena PetrovaApr 20, 2026 9m

When to Sacrifice in Xiangqi: Turning Material into Attack

Sacrifices win games in Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng) when they buy an unstoppable attack. Learn when to give up a Chariot, Horse, or Cannon to strip Advisors, open files, and deliver checkmate against the enemy General.

Mr. Tan WeiApr 17, 2026 9m

Attacking the Palace: How to Break Through the Enemy Defense

The enemy palace is where every Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng) game is won. Learn how to strip Advisors and Elephants, exploit the flying-general rule, and coordinate Chariot, Cannon, and Horse to break through and deliver checkmate.

Zhang WeiApr 14, 2026 10m

Middlegame Planning in Xiangqi: Turning an Opening into a Win

The middlegame is where Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng) games are decided. Learn how to form a plan, seize open files, activate your Horses and Cannons, and convert an opening advantage into a winning attack.

Coach Aisha RahmanApr 11, 2026 9m

Defensive Technique in Xiangqi: How to Hold a Worse Position

Great defense wins Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng) games too. Learn how to hold a worse position: keep your Advisors and Elephants coordinated, trade off attackers, build fortresses, and turn defense into counterattack.

GM Lê MinhApr 8, 2026 10m

Master the Cannon: The Most Unique Piece in Xiangqi

The Cannon is the most unique piece in Xiangqi (象棋, Cờ Tướng), moving like a Chariot but capturing only by jumping a screen. Master cannon tactics: screens, discovered attacks, batteries, and deadly checkmates against the palace.

FM Elena PetrovaFeb 6, 2026 7m

Xiangqi Mate in One: Learning to Spot the Kill

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.

FM Elena PetrovaFeb 13, 2026 8m

Xiangqi Mate in Two: Common Forcing Patterns

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.

FM Elena PetrovaFeb 20, 2026 8m

Discovered Attacks and Double Checks in Xiangqi

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.

Coach Aisha RahmanFeb 27, 2026 7m

Pins and Skewers: Essential Xiangqi Tactics

Xiangqi pins and skewers immobilize enemy pieces along a line. Learn chariot pins, the absolute flying-general pin, and cannon skewers to win material.

Coach Aisha RahmanMar 6, 2026 7m

Forks in Xiangqi: Winning Material with a Single Move

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.

FM Elena PetrovaMar 13, 2026 8m

Cannon and Chariot: Deadly Mating Patterns in Xiangqi

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.

FM Elena PetrovaMar 20, 2026 8m

How to Calculate Deeper in Xiangqi

Master xiangqi calculation with a practical method: find forcing moves, track cannon screens, and verify each line so you stop blundering in sharp positions.

Coach Aisha RahmanMar 27, 2026 7m

5 Common Xiangqi Blunders and How to Avoid Them

These five common xiangqi blunders cost players games every day. Learn to spot exposed generals, weak palaces, and cannon-screen traps before they strike.

Zwischenzug: The In-Between Move

The zwischenzug, or in-between move, inserts a more forcing move before an expected recapture, flipping the result of an exchange. Learn to spot and use it.

Zhang WeiApr 3, 2026 7m

FM Elena PetrovaApr 6, 2026 9m

How to Calculate Variations in Chess

Learning how to calculate in chess is the single biggest jump in playing strength. This guide breaks down candidate moves, visualization, and clean cutoffs.

Mr. Tan WeiApr 11, 2026 8m

Chess Mate in Two: Common Patterns

Solving mate in two chess puzzles builds the calculation muscle behind every attack. Learn the quiet-move idea, common patterns, and a reliable solving method.

How to Get Better at Chess Tactics

Want to improve chess tactics fast? Combine pattern recognition, daily puzzle drills, calculation, and a blunder-check routine to spot combinations first.

Mei LinApr 14, 2026 10m

Coach Aisha RahmanApr 19, 2026 9m

Controlling the Center in Chess

Discover why you should control the center in chess, how classical and hypermodern approaches differ, and practical ways to dominate the four central squares.

The Passed Pawn and How to Use It

The passed pawn wins endgames. Learn how to create a passed pawn, support its march to promotion, blockade the enemy's, and use it as a decisive weapon.

Mei LinApr 24, 2026 8m

FM Elena PetrovaApr 26, 2026 9m

Open Files, Rooks and the Seventh Rank

A practical guide to open files in chess: how to seize an open file, double your rooks into a battery, and invade the deadly seventh rank to win.

Mr. Tan WeiMay 1, 2026 8m

King Safety in Chess

King safety in chess is the foundation of every sound plan. Learn about castling, the pawn shield, back-rank mates, and keeping your king out of danger.

Prophylaxis: Stopping Your Opponent's Plans

Prophylaxis in chess means preventing your opponent's ideas before they start. Learn the mindset of Nimzowitsch and Petrosian to quietly strangle counterplay.

Mei LinMay 4, 2026 10m

Daniel OkaforMay 8, 2026 8m

How to Make Plans in the Middlegame

Great chess middlegame plans begin with an honest evaluation. Learn to read the pawn structure, target weaknesses, and turn ideas into winning moves.

Coach Aisha RahmanMay 10, 2026 9m

Positional Chess Explained

Positional chess is the art of small, lasting advantages. Learn how pawn structure, weak squares, open files, and space quietly decide the game.

Mr. Tan WeiMay 11, 2026 10m

How to Improve at Chess: A Roadmap

Wondering how to improve at chess? This practical roadmap covers tactics, openings, endgames, and smart study habits to help you climb the rating ladder.