Xiangqi

Xiangqi

Xiangqi board and starting setup
Years active	Late Southern Song (earliest record) to present
Genres	Board game Abstract strategy game Mind sport
Players	2
Setup time	< 1 minute
Playing time	Informal games: may vary from twenty minutes to several hours Blitz games: up to 10 minutes
Chance	None
Skills	Strategy, tactics
Synonyms	Chinese chess Elephant chess Elephant game

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Xiangqi (Chinese: 象棋; pinyin: xiàngqí; Wade–Giles: Hsiang ch'i; English: /ˈʃɑːŋtʃi/), commonly known as Chinese chess or elephant chess, is a strategy board game native to China for two players. In Vietnam, the game is also known as cờ tướng, literally 'General's chess'. Xiangqi is in the same family of games as shogi, janggi, Western chess, chaturanga, and Indian chess. Korean janggi originated from it.

The game represents a battle between two armies, with the primary object being to checkmate the enemy's general (king). Distinctive features of xiangqi include the cannon (pao), which must jump to capture; a rule prohibiting the generals from facing each other directly; areas on the board called the river and palace, which restrict the movement of some pieces but enhance that of others; and the placement of the pieces on the intersections of the board lines, rather than within the squares.