Three Steps Tiger
中炮对三步虎 · zhōng pào duì sān bù hǔ
Three moves, one active chariot. The Three Steps Tiger rushes Black's chariot along the back rank and out into the game before Red's attack has anything to attack, and the name tells you exactly what it promises: a tiger on the board after three steps. In an opening where chariots decide everything, getting one out this fast is a serious argument.
The moves
2 moves from the starting position. Step through them on the board.
- Red. Red takes the middle file with the cannon.
- Black. Black clears the path for the corner chariot instead of defending directly. The chariot will be in play within a couple of moves.
Speed as a defence
Most defences to the Central Cannon answer the threat. This one races it. The idea is that an attack needs targets, and a Black position with an active chariot and few committed weaknesses does not offer many.
The counterpart is that Black's General is less thickly covered than in Screen Horses. If Red can force matters on the middle file quickly, the missing defender is felt.
Playing it well
- Use the chariot. It was developed early to do something, not to sit on a good square looking active.
- Do not neglect the centre entirely. One extra defensive move at the right moment is what makes the fast plan sound.
- Be ready to trade. Every exchange takes an attacker off the board and leaves Black with the better developed remainder.
What Red should do about it
Do not rush. The tiger is fast, but speed only wins when there is something to reach. Finish your own development, keep the central battery pointed at the General, and make Black prove that an early chariot is worth more than a thicker defence.
Then strike at the middle. Black's setup has one defender fewer there than Screen Horses does, and that missing defender is the whole reason Red allows this line in the first place.
Try it on a real board
Reading an opening and playing one are different skills. Set this line up against the computer, get it wrong a few times cheaply, then take it into a rated game.
Common questions
- What does 三步虎 mean?
- Three steps tiger. It refers to the chariot being released and active after three moves.
- Is the Three Steps Tiger sound against the Central Cannon?
- Yes, it is a recognised defence. It trades a little solidity for a lot of development speed, so it suits players who are comfortable defending with active pieces.
Read next
- Central Cannon vs Screen Horses中炮对屏风马The most analysed structure in Chinese chess. How Screen Horses answers the Central Cannon, what each side is really playing for, and the defensive move order that keeps Black solid.
- Central Cannon vs Single Horse中炮对单提马Black develops a horse toward the edge and keeps the central file clear for counterplay. The old alternative to Screen Horses, and when it is the better choice.
- Central Cannon中炮Red's cannon swings to the middle file and points straight at the enemy General. The plan behind the Central Cannon, the replies you will face, and the trap that ruins most attacks.
Every named line is listed on the xiangqi openings index. New to the game? Start with the rules of Chinese chess, or learn the Chinese characters on the pieces.