Notation System

Any person serious about mastering the game must learn the Chinese Notation System of writing down the move. For the benefit of those who do not write Chinese, the AXF has deviced an English translation of this system using alphabets, numerals and mathematical symbols. In this system, every move is written with four characters e.g. C2=5. The first character names the piece moved, the second character denotes the number of the file where the pieces sat before the move, the third character is either + (forward), -(backward), or =(sideways), and the last character either tells the number of the new file where the piece landed or the number of points moved by the piece. The notation C2=5 means Cannon on file #2 move sideways to file #5. For the Adviser, the Elephant and the Horse, because of their oblique movement, the file number will always change after making a move. Therefore, the 4th character always denotes the new file number. For the rest i.e. King, Pawn, Chariot, and Cannon that move along a straight line, the 4th character also denotes the new file number when they move sideways. Only when they move forward or backward, the 4th character then counts the points they have covered. Sometimes you may have two pieces of same type along a file. In that case, change the second character to + or – to differentiate between the front one and the back one.

Most Common Xiangqi Openings

Some of the most important xiangqi openings are introduced here. The purpose is to help new players to get started with the game. This kind of short introduction can naturally not be very comprehensive. It only contains few examples of the most common opening variations. Some openings have been introduced with only one line. The source of information has been Chinese opening books. They have used the Chinese notation system and the names and the abbreviations for the pieces follow the WXF (World Xiangqi Federation) standard. (K=King, R=Chariot, H=Horse, C=Cannon, E=Elephant, A=Advisor, P=Pawn) The names for the openings follow the practice of English xiangqi books. In some cases the Chinese names have also been mentioned.

The xiangqi openings follow the same principles as the chess openings. There are naturally also some differences. The most important thing in the opening is the quick development of the pieces. Moving the center pawn (P5+1) in the opening, which is common in chess, is a mistake in xiangqi. After the reply C2=5 (or C8=5) red loses his center pawn! The center line is strategically important but moving the center pawn makes sense only later when the player is ready to attack. Moving the 3. or 7. line (c and g line in algebraic notation) pawn is a useful development move because after that the horse can advance to the center and the pawn move hinders the corresponding opponent move. The important question is how to arrange the horses, cannons and elephants on the 3. rank. The chariots should be developed as soon as possible.

The most popular and aggressive opening move is 1.C2=5. It has been estimated that about 70% of all games begin with this move. The cannon threatens the opponents center pawn and it prepares for the attack. Attempting to win material and neglecting the development with moves like 1.C2=3 can be a dangerous waste of time.

Black has four very popular and reliable defences against the central cannon opening.

”Screen horses” aka “Two horses defence” (Ping Feng Ma) is the most popular black defence. Black moves both of his horses between the cannons to protect the center pawn. This opening has several variations.

”Fan Gong Ma” (The name is difficult to translate) is another opening where black developes both his horses towards the center but one of the cannon is paced on the palace corner between the horses. black can now connect his elephants. This opening is relatively new. Red has several ways to attack but the black position is solid.

”Same direction Cannon” opening starts with the moves 1.C2=5, C8=5. Black replies with a symmetrical move. This cannon move is possible because the immediate capture of the defenceless center pawn with 2.C5+4 loses time and black gets the initiative. This capture is only played by amateurs.

”Opposite direction Cannon” opening starts with the moves 1.C2=5, C2=5. Here red and black move their cannons to the opposite directions. The modern practice is to make the black cannon move later. (“Delayed opposite direction Cannon”).

The fifth interesting alternative is ”The Three Step Tiger” opening. This name refers to the system where the player develops his chariot quickly by moving the cannon to the edge of the board. (For example with the moves H2+3, C2=1 and R1=2)  This way of development can lead to other openings

Other defences against the central cannon are rare.



Red naturally has other opening moves besides the central cannon. These systems are sometimes called “Soft openings” because the opening move is not a threat.

”The pawn opening” (1.P7+1) is a very flexible system. The red opening move is a useful development move but all the choises concerning piece development are still open. Black usually does not answer with the central cannon because red could then play any of the central cannon openings with colors reversed and the pawn move would be an extra advantage.

”The elephant opening” (1.E3+5) is a very solid opening where red first protects his King by connecting the elephants.

”The horse opening” (1.H2+3) starts with a natural development move. Red can play the Two horse defence, The Fan Gong Ma or Three step tiger opening with the colors reversed.

Red can also play his cannon to the front corner of the palace with the move 1.C2=4 (”Palcorner Cannon”) or 1.C2=6 (“Crosspalace Cannon”). These moves are also useful developing moves.  

Other red opening moves like 1.H8+9 (”Edge Horse”), 1.C2=3 or 1.C2=7 are very rare.

Chess grandmaster Robert Hubner, who has also played Chinese chess, has said that the Chinese chess does not have as much opening theory as chess but there is more endgame theory.

Xiangqi Fundamentals

The opening in Xiangqi normally lasts for about 10-15 moves (by one side), by which both players choose the opening, counter and counter-counter that they like. Normally, unless deadly mistakes are made, the game proceeds to the mid-game. Unlike the opening and endgame, it is hard to define the parameters of the midgame. Most endgames have been studied to such an extent that there are definite conclusions to the outcome if no mistakes are made. So, the midgame can be defined as the period of play after the opening and before the endgame.

Characteristics of the mid game include lesser pieces than the opening, but still many more pieces as compared to end game. Thus there are many more possibilities to the outcome also. It is also perhaps the liveliest part of the game. Anybody who studies and memorizes the various openings and their variations will be at least well off in the openings. BUT THE MIDGAME IS WHERE YOUR SKILLS ARE TESTED. Outstanding trainers personally think that the midgame is the hardest to learn too. And amongst the three, the midgame is the hardest to control.

Whereas the study of the opening is more or less restricted to the different major openings and their variations, the study of the midgame is more conceptual and strategy directed. There are already many endgame scenarios which have a definite result. The beginner is encouraged to understand and memorize these fixed “formulas”. Indeed, Xiangqi manuals on openings explain and show each variation in detail. And manuals on endgames well, just show the formation you have to arrive at and how you should carry on. Tricks are explained also. But for manuals on midgames, strategy is studied, with references to Sun Tzu’s Art of War, or other pearls of Chinese wisdom. Examples are then given to illustrate the ideas presented. It is beyond trainers' ability to go into the detail all there is to know about midgame, but they will try their best to illustrate the simple strategies involved with examples. The following refers to a few terms that everybody should know.

Tactics : a plan, procedure, or expedient for promoting a desired end or result.

Strategy : a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result. Simply put, a strategy is carried out by a series of tactics.


BASIC COMMONLY USED TACTICS IN XIANGQI


Trapping Your Opponent’s Pieces
Xq is basically a battle between 2 forces. Naturally, the stronger side normally has the advantage and better chance of winning. When there is no visible way to kill immediately, sometimes trying to trap your opponent’s important pieces or limit its function will slowly turn the tide in our favor. Trapping your opponent’s pieces can only be done when there is no loss of initiative on your side. If a loss of initiative is encountered, it is not worthwhile, and can be considered a sacrifice by your opponent (who loses a piece to gain initiative).


Fork 
When one of your pieces can attack two or more of your opponent's pieces, a fork is done. Although the direct translation would be to attack only TWO pieces, a fork if used in conjunction with a horse, can capture >=2 pieces at the same time. Used to gain material advantage.


Skewer 
The WXF has a term though called "capture with discover check". A piece is skewered when it is attacked and, on moving, exposes a less important piece to be captured. It can be considered an aggressive form of the fork as, when used as a conjunction with a check (which must be resolved), your opponent’s piece is definitely captured. Chariot skewers are common but skewers involving the horse and cannon are also common and require a little bit more skill.


Deployment 
Simply put, it means placing or positioning your chess pieces such that they occupy good positions for attack, for defense or both. By good deployment, a relatively useless piece can be made much more valuable. Normally refers to the deployment of the chariot, horse and cannon. Sometimes, when there is no visible kill, or the game is in a deadlock, this tactic is used to gain momentum in attacking or gain initiative. Conversely, forcing your opponent’s pieces to bad positions is also a good strategy.


Exchange Pieces 
Normally refers to the exchange of chess pieces of similar value. However, positional advantage is gained and momentum in attacking is increased. Sometimes, an exchange of pieces for the weaker side can simplify the game, making it easier to draw. The key concept is to have better positioning after the exchange.


Exchange for Initiative 
Exchanging your own pieces with your opponent’s to gain better positioning. For example exchanging an ill-positioned piece for a well-positioned opponent’s piece.


Sacrifice 
Any piece other than the king can be sacrificed. As compared to international chess, sacrifices in Xiangqi seem to occur much more frequently. The key concept to know is that a sacrifice is worthwhile only if the sacrificed piece can be retrieved and/or positional gain is attained. If no positional gain is obtainable, it would be suicide. 


Offensive Sacrifice 
It means sacrificing a chesspiece(s) to gain momentum in attack.


Sacrifice to Kill 
Often in the mid-game, there are chances for a kill with a sacrifice. The main goal of the sacrifice here is to lure your opponents pieces away from defending positions, or jam your opponent’s palace so that it cannot defend well. Sometimes, your own pieces get in the way of attacking, so you sacrifice it to attack. The downside is that if it does not work, you will be down a piece.


Abandoning (a piece) before gaining (back a piece)
That is sacrificing a piece a few moves earlier, and then regaining it with positional advantage a few moves later.


Restrict or Impede
When the game is in a deadlock, you try to manipulate your pieces to impede your opponent’s pieces from progressing into a more advantageous position. If successful, your opponent cannot move that piece(s) freely without a positional or material loss. You try to restrict the more important pieces of course.


Seal Off or Blockade 
Similar to restricting, except that your opponent’s pieces are sealed off or cannot move in a particular area on the chessboard. More aggressive than restriction. As the chariot is the most powerful piece on the board, blockade most often refers to restricting the chariot’s movement. After blockade, the aggressive side can proceed to increase his initiative with other pieces and gain both positional and material advantage or even make a kill.


Breakthrough
Breakthrough in xiangqi refers to forcing a break in your opponent’s defense, thus forcing the general to be in a predicament and eventually be checkmated. Breakthroughs in Xiangqi often involve taking away the opponent’s advisor(s) or elephant(s).


Combined Attack 
A combined attack refers to the coming together of major pieces from different directions like center and side to make a kill.


SIMILAR TERMS FOUND IN INTERNATIONAL CHESS

In international chess, Zugzwang (German for compulsion to move) occurs when a player is forced to make an undesirable move. The player is put at a disadvantage because he would prefer to pass and make no move, but a move has to be made, all of which weaken his position. Situations involving zugzwang occur uncommonly, but when they do occur, it is almost always in the endgame where there are fewer choices of available moves. SIMILARLY FOR XIANGQI, THESE OCCUR SOMETIMES BUT ARE VERY RARE. Zwischenzug (German for intermediate move) is a common international chess tactic which, instead of countering a direct threat, a move is played which poses an even more devastating threat, often an attack against the queen or the king. A similar situation can occur in Xiangqi. In fact, almost all the Xiangqi endgame compositions are examples of Zwischenzug. The above list are by no means exhaustive. It is basically condensed and summarized from a few beginner’s manuals. There are also many other articles discussing deeper topics like the formation of the attacking side, the timing of the move and more. More strategies must be discussed in detailed with more diagrams for improvement.

Teng Nuo Tactic

In Xiang Qi game, there will be some pieces (own pieces) which are in bad positions. For example, blocking the passageways of another pieces, 'blocking horse leg', 'blocking elephant eye' or blocking the passageway of the king. In the nutshell, this piece minimize the effective of the other pieces. In this case, by using check, threaten to mate, sacrifice or attack tactic, the dummy piece can be moved away without losing any tempo. This kind of tactic is called 'teng nuo'.

"Cut Down" Tactic

Besides of destroying the cooperation among the pieces, minimizing the effective of the pieces, there is another tactic which is called 'cut down'. 'Cut down' is used with sacrificing, blocking the relationship between the pieces or blocking their passageways.

Block Tactic

Sacrificing pieces to block the passageway of the king, the elephant's eye and the relationship between elephants. This tactic is called 'block'. This is the common tactic of Xiang Qi and it can cause many kid of smothered checkmate. Imagine a position that both side have equalize materials and assume Black is missing an assistance and it is in passive condition and Black horse is having triple attack. At the same time, his cannons and chariot are having great attack. Look like red is in danger! However, Red can win the imagined game by just simply using 'block' tactic.

Attract Tactic

Attract the opponent king or other pieces to a passive position by using 'sacrificing' or 'exchanging'. This tactic is called attract. It is quite similar with 'attract to leave'. During practical, this kind of tactic is commonly seen. Usually, it combine with checking, threaten to mate, attacking piece, blockade and others.