Fast and Easy to Learn Chinese Chess or “Xiangqi” with the Innovative “Xiangqi Chessboard” and the Move-Recording System

By Norman Chan

Chinese Chess, or Xiangqi (elephant chess in Chinese), is an ancient board game popular in China for centuries. In recent times, its popularity has exploded with millions of international players and a tournament network with millions in cash prizes.

Reinventing the Chinese chess game board, the author incorporates innovative move-recording system. Also the author uses over five hundred diagrams with detailed illustrations, and the readers will enjoy the easy-to-read presentations of the fantastic game. This is a must-read for players of all levels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524693442

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2017 Norman Chan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/10/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-9344-2 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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INTRODUCTION

In popular culture, the travels of Marco Polo brought together the civilizations of East and West. The cultural exchanges that followed continue to enrich the lives of people around the world.

Chinese Chess, a board game that has been popular in China and Asia, is a fascinating cousin of universal chess. Using an innovative board and move-recording system, I have introduced an enhanced version of this ancient game to the world.

In Chapter 2, my illustrative games are based on two games played a few hundred years ago in China. In Chapter 5, I used opening names and systems translated from Chinese Chess games. In Chapter 6, the Special Rules are current international Chinese Chess rules used around the world except China (China enforces a more strict rule system). In Chapter 7, I named all the mid-game strategies and tactics based on my own experience from the game. In Chapter 8, the fourteen (14) grand masters are the elite groups of players during the last 60 years of Chinese Chess history.

I hope my innovations will promote the game of Chinese Chess to both young players and traditionalists looking for a new challenge.

Acknowledgements:

To my family.

A special gratitude to James Chan, Alex Chan, Christopher Chan and Kayleigh Risser (Co-Editor).

My appreciation to my fellow masters of the game: Colin Cheng, Mark Ma, John Mou, Oscar Peng and Mark Sokoll

Contents

INTRODUCTION

Acknowledgements:

Contents

CHAPTER 1 THE BASIC RULES OF CHINESE CHESS

1 THE BOARD

2 THE OPENING POSITION

3 THE MOVE-RECORDING SYSTEM

4 THE PIECES

THE KING (K) (Jiang)

THE QUEEN (Q) (Shi)

THE BISHOP (B) (Xiang)

THE ROOK (R) (Ju)

THE KNIGHT (N) (Ma)

THE PAWN (P) (Bing) (Zu)

THE CANNON (C) (Pao)

5 HOW MOVES ARE RECORDED

6 GENERAL RULES OF THE GAME

7 CHECK ON THE KING

8 CHECK AND CHECKMATE

9 DRAWN GAMES

10 RELATIVE VALUES

11 SELF-MADE NEW XIANGQI CHESS SET

12 CHESS NOTATION

13 THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UNIVERSAL CHESS AND CHINESE XIANGQI CHESS:

CHAPTER 2 ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES

ILLUSTRATIVE GAME NO. 1

ILLUSTRATIVE GAME NO. 2

CHAPTER 3 THE CHECKMATES

1 PAWN

2 KNIGHT

3 KNIGHT AND PAWN

4 CANNON

5 CANNON AND PAWN

6 KNIGHT AND CANNON

7 KNIGHT, CANNON AND PAWN

8 ROOK

9 ROOK AND PAWN

10 ROOK AND KNIGHT

11 ROOK, KNIGHT AND PAWN

12 ROOK AND CANNON

13 ROOK, CANNON AND PAWN

14 ROOK, KNIGHT AND CANNON

15 ROOK, KNIGHT, CANNON AND PAWN

CHAPTER 4 THE END GAME

1 ONE PAWN

2 TWO PAWNS

3 THREE PAWNS

4 ONE KNIGHT

5 TWO KNIGHTS

6 ONE KNIGHT AND ONE PAWN

7 ONE KNIGHT AND TWO PAWNS

8 ONE CANNON

9 TWO CANNONS

10 ONE CANNON AND ONE PAWN

11 ONE CANNON AND TWO PAWNS

12 ONE ROOK

13 TWO ROOKS

14 ONE ROOK AND ONE PAWN

15 ONE ROOK AND TWO PAWNS

16 ONE KNIGHT AND ONE CANNON

17 ONE KNIGHT, ONE CANNON AND ONE PAWN

18 ONE KNIGHT, ONE CANNON AND TWO PAWNS

19 ONE ROOK AND ONE KNIGHT

20 ONE ROOK, ONE KNIGHT AND ONE PAWN

21 ONE ROOK AND ONE CANNON

22 ONE ROOK, ONE CANNON AND ONE PAWN

CHAPTER 5 THE OPENING

1. THE FLOW CHART OF THE OPENING SYSTEMS

2 THE REGULAR OPENINGS

3 THE IRREGULAR OPENINGS

4 CENTER CANNON OPENING

5 PALACE CORNER CANNON OPENING

6 CROSS PALACE CANNON OPENING

7 PAWN OPENING

8 BISHOP OPENING

9 KNIGHT OPENING

10 THE FOUR MAJOR DEFENSE SYSTEMS USING KNIGHTS AGAINST CENTER CANNON OPENING

11 THE POPULAR OFFENSE TACTICS USED TO ATTACK DOUBLE KNIGHTS DEFENSE

12 THE POPULAR DEFENSE SYSTEMS USED TO DEFEND CENTER CANNON OPENING

13 CANNONS GAME

14 CANNON COUNTER ATTACK

15 SOME PRINCIPLES OF THE OPENING

16 SOME GUIDES FOR THE OPENING

17 SOME TRAPS IN THE OPENING

CHAPTER 6 THE SPECIAL RULES

1. THE DEFINITION

THE PROTECTED PIECE

THE PARTLY PROTECTED PIECE

THE RESTRAINED PIECE

THE UNPROTECTED PIECE

THE FALSELY PROTECTED PIECE

(A) THE ILLEGAL MOVE (MOVE THAT IS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY)

(B) THE LEGAL MOVE (MOVE THAT IS PERMITTED TO PLAY)

2 THE ILLEGAL MOVES

3 THE LEGAL MOVES

4 CASES OF THE SPECIAL RULES

CHAPTER 7 THE MIDDLE GAME

1 THE PRINCIPLES OF THE MID-GAME

1. BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY PREPARED

2. FIND THE PURPOSE OF EACH MOVE

3. EVALUATE THE SITUATION

4. ARE YOU IN SUPERIOR SIDE?

5. LOOK FOR THE WEAK SPOTS

6. DECIDE THE STRATEGY TO BE USED, CHOOSE A RIGHT TARGET TO ATTACK

2 THE STRATEGIES TO BE USED WHEN YOU ARE DOWN

1. MAKE THE GAME AS COMPLICATED AS POSSIBLE

2. COUNTER-ATTACK AND FIGHT BACK TO THE END

3. TRY TO SETTLE FOR A DRAW

4. FORCE A DRAW

5. WAIT FOR YOUR CHANCE

6. ANNOYANCE AND DISTRACTION

7. HOPE THE GAME-TIME ON YOUR SIDE

3 THE MID-GAME STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

1. From A General’s Point Of View

2. Pin

3. Simplification

4. Concentration

5. Checkmates

6. Take The Strategic Squares

7. Exchange For A Gain

8. Exchange For A Better Position

9. Eyes On The Rooks

10. Traps

11. Capture

12. A Knight And A Cannon For A Rook

13. Sacrifice For A Mate

14. Sacrifice First, Gain It Back Later

15. Sacrifice For A Gain

16. Offense Is A Good Defense

17. Watch Out The Surprise Attack

18. No Chance For A Come Back

19. SOLIDIFICATION

20. Prevention From Attack

21. Use The King In Mates

22. Get Rid Of The Hostile Pawns

23. Gain A Queen

24. Gain A Bishop

25. Use The Queens Wisely

26. The Bishops Can Be Very Helpful

27. A Pawn Can Make A Difference

28. Never Say Die

29. Settle For A Draw

30. To Force A Draw

31. Piece Save

32. Plan a Draw

33. Make the Game as Complicated as Possible

34. Wait for Your Chance to Come

35. Annoyance and Distraction

36. Hope the Time is on your Side

CHAPTER 8 THE GRAND MASTER GAMES

Game No. 1 Yang Guan-Lin vs. Li Yi-Ting (1963)

Game No. 2 Li Yi-Ting vs. Yang Guan-Lin (1963)

Game No. 3 Wang Jia-Liang vs. Yang Guan-Lin (1999)

Game No. 4 Liu Dian-Zhong vs. Wang Jia-Ling (1988)

Game No. 5 Hu Rong-Hua vs. Yang Kuan -Lin (1964)

Game No. 6 Cai Fu-Ru vs. Hu Rong-Hua (1960)

Game No. 7 Cai Fu-Ru vs. Hu Rong-Hua (1964)

Game No. 8 Hu Rong- Hua vs. Lu Qin (2001)

Game No. 9 Lu Qin vs. Li Lai-Qun (1994)

Game No. 10 Li Lai-Qun vs. Liu Da-Hua (1984)

Game No. 11 Xu Yin-Chuan vs. Liu Da-Hua (1998)

Game No. 12 Yu You-Hua vs. Xu Yin-Chuan (2001)

Game No. 13 Xu Yin-Chuan vs. Yu You-Hua (2001)

Game No. 14 Zhao Gua-Rong vs. Xu Yin-Chuan (1998)

Game No. 15 Xu Tian-Hong vs. Zhao Gua-Rong (1995)

Game No. 16 Tao Han-Ming vs. Xu Tian-Hong (1997)

Game No. 17 Liu Dian-Zhong vs. Tao Han-Ming (2001)

Game No. 18 Zhao Gua-Rong vs. Lu Qin (1991)

Chapter 1

THE BASIC RULES OF CHINESE CHESS

1 THE BOARD

001.tif

D 1.1.1 UNIVERSAL CHESS

This is the Universal Chessboard that all of us are familiar with.

002.tif

D 1.1.2     CHINESE CHESS

This is the Chinese Chessboard, or the XiangQi Board, that is very popular and being played by millions of people in China, Vietnam, Asia nations and other countries.

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D 1.1.3     NEW CHINESE XIANGQI CHESS

This is the innovated 90-square chessboard or the new XiangQi Chessboard that the author uses to teach the readers to learn Chinese Chess fast and easy.

2 THE OPENING POSITION

003.tif

D 1.2.1 UNIVERSAL CHESS

This is a universal chessboard and 32 chessmen or pieces at their opening positions. This board is made up of 64 squares arrayed in an 8x8 grid of alternately colored squares.

There are 16 pieces on each side: 1 King, 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 2 Bishops and 8 Pawns. Pieces are in white and black colors.

004.tif

D 1.2.2 CHINESE CHESS

The diagram shows a traditional Chinese Chess, or XiangQi board, with 32 chessmen or pieces at their opening positions. The board is made up of 9 vertical and 10 horizontal lines, create 90 intersection points. A river separates the two sides in the middle and one palace is on each side indicated with a cross.

There are 16 pieces on each side, one side in red and other side in green or black. Each side has 1 General, 2 Chariots, 2 Horses, 5 Soldiers, 2 Ministers are named in red (and 2 Elephants in black,) 2 Cannons and 2 Counselors, (Advisors, Assistants or Guards). The pieces move from one intersection point to another intersection point.

89237.png

D 1.2.3 XIANGQI CHESS

The diagram shows the opening position of the pieces on the new XiangQi chessboard. The board is consisted of 90 squares in one color. Double border lines are in the middle and one palace is on each side.

There are 32 chessmen, or pieces, on the board at their opening positions. The board has 9 columns, or files, and 10 rows, or ranks. The pieces move from one square to the others. There are 16 chessmen on each side: 1 King, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 5 Pawns, 2 Bishops, 2 Queens and 2 Cannons. The pieces are in red or white, and the other side is in black.

3 THE MOVE-RECORDING SYSTEM

005.tif

D 1.3.1

All ninety (90) squares on the Board are assigned a two-digit number.

Based on the system of coordinates commonly taught in school mathematics, the player picks the first digit number from the X-axis, or the horizontal numbers, and the second from the Y-axis, or the vertical numbers. For example: The number for Square 54 is made up with 5 from the 5th file, and 4 from the 4th rank; and square 90 is from the 9th file and the 10th rank. The 0 is used at 10th Rank in order to make a single digit.

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