Guides
The Xiangqi Arena guide library
Everything on this page is written for players, by players. The twenty opening systems our lessons teach - each one now with an animated move-by-move walkthrough you can play, pause and step through. The checkmate patterns every xiangqi player eventually learns by name. And the reference shelf: notation, piece values, endgame technique, and a glossary with the hanzi you will meet on the board. Each guide stands on its own, links to its neighbours, and ends at a board where you can play what you just read.
Opening systems
The twenty systems from our opening course. Each guide walks the model line move by move on an animated board, tells you where the system came from, what both sides are planning, and which mistakes lose games in ten moves.
- The Central CannonäžçźRedâs most direct opening: the cannon takes the centre file on move one, and a century of tournament practice follows it.
- The Screen Horsesć±éŁé©ŹBlackâs great classical defence: two horses stand shoulder to shoulder and let the storm break against them.
- The Same-Direction CannonséĄșçźBoth players centre a cannon on the same side of the board, and the oldest fight in xiangqi begins again.
- The Flying ElephantéŁçžRedâs great quiet opening: strengthen the centre first, ask questions later.
- The Pointing Fingerä»äșșæè·ŻOne humble soldier steps forward, reveals nothing, and asks black to commit first.
- The Counter-Palace Horseććź«é©ŹBlackâs subtle modern defence: two horses and a cannon tucked between them, built to take the sting out of redâs attack before it starts.
- The Palace-Corner Cannonèżćź«çźRedâs cannon crosses the palace on move one and masses the whole army on a single wing.
- The Advisor-Corner Cannon棫è§çźA quiet half-step by the cannon that keeps every promise open - redâs most flexible cannon opening.
- The Horse Openingè”·é©Źć±Red develops a horse first and keeps the cannons guessing - the flexible modern way into a central game.
- The Five-Seven CannonsäșäžçźRedâs twin-cannon battery - one on the centre, one on the seventh file - and the sharpest mainstream attack on the Screen Horses.
- The Opposite-Direction CannonsćçźBlack answers the centre cannon with the other cannon - same file, opposite wing - and turns the opening into a counterattack.
- The Two-Headed Snake䞀怎èRed pushes both wing soldiers early - two open horse roads, one flexible army, and a shape with its own name.
- The Edge HorseèŸčé©Źć±Redâs horse develops to the rim on move one - an eccentric first step hiding an entirely sound plan.
- The Three-Step Tigeräžæ„èHorse, cannon aside, chariot out: redâs heavy piece hits the board in three moves flat.
- The Single Horse Defencećæé©ŹBlack lifts one horse to the edge and keeps the other central - an old-school defence with a stubborn streak.
- The Rushed Centre Soldieräžçźæ„èżäžć ”Red charges the middle soldier early and turns the classical centre-cannon game into a street fight.
- The Five-Six Cannonsäșć çźThe centre cannonâs calm sibling: the second cannon takes the sixth file, and red builds pressure that never overextends.
- The River-Patrol Cannonäžçźć·ĄæČłçźRedâs second cannon lifts to the river rank and polices it - the centre-cannon game played with a safety net.
- The Edge CannonèŸčçźRedâs cannon slides to the rim on move one - the boardâs quietest first move, hiding a whole flank strategy.
- The Mutual Pawn OpeningćŻčć ”ć±Both sides push a wing soldier, nobody commits, and the game becomes a pure test of understanding.
Skills and tactics
What to do once the pieces are out: the named checkmate patterns with their essential shapes on the board, the principles that survive contact with a real opponent, and how to read and write moves.
- Opening principles: the first ten movesThe five habits that survive contact with any opponent, whatever opening you choose.
- The named checkmate patternsThe twelve classical mating patterns every player eventually knows by name - with the shapes to recognise them.
- How to read xiangqi notationFiles, ranks, and the two notation systems you will meet - with the board map to decode them.
- Piece values and good tradesWhat the pieces are worth, why the values move, and how to decide every exchange.
- Endgame basicsThe four endings that decide most games: lone soldier, cannon technique, chariot wins, and the fortress draws.
Reference
Look-up material: the terms this library uses, with the hanzi you will meet on the board.
Put it into practice
Reading about an opening is the start; the moves only become yours once your hands have played them. Every system in this library has a playable lesson on Xiangqi Arena where the board accepts only the book move and a master-level reply answers you - plus rated games, puzzles, and an archive of professional games to see how the masters handled what you just learned.