Move history
Coordinate notation (files a–i, ranks 1–10)
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Game records
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Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) in one minute
Chinese Chess, also called xiangqi, is played across the river on the intersections of a 9×10 board.
- Pieces sit on the intersections of a 9×10 board, not inside the squares.
- Each general stays in its 3×3 palace. The two generals may not face each other on an open file.
- A cannon moves like a chariot, but captures only by jumping exactly one screen.
- A horse is blocked when the adjacent point of its first straight step is occupied.
- Elephants cannot cross the river. A soldier that does gains a sideways step.
How every piece moves, the palace rule in practice, and the early mistakes that lose games are on the strategy page. Full piece moves and strategy.
The board you need when the other player is already here
Many “two-player” games still ask both people to register, install the same app, and find each other in a lobby. That solves the wrong problem when your opponent is across the table. Here, one phone, tablet, or computer becomes the board: choose who opens and make the first move.
Pass the phone after each turn, or leave a laptop between the players. Flip rotates the view for the person opposite; legal-point markers help a new player without choosing a move for them; Undo repairs a finger slip without erasing the rest of the game. There is no AI quietly taking a side—every decision belongs to one of the two people.
This mode fits a café table, a train ride, a lesson with a child, or any moment when carrying a physical set is inconvenient. It is free, opens immediately, and needs no account or app. Closing the tab ends the position. If you are alone, play against the computer. If you want two phones, open the online table, create a room, and send the code.
How to pass the phone
- Pick who opens, then tap a piece of that color and a highlighted point. Pass the device when turns flip.
- Landing on an enemy piece captures it. Undo takes back a slip; Flip rotates the board view.
- Not sure how a piece moves? Open the strategy page for the full piece guide.
- Keep your general protected in the palace. Checkmate finishes the match.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers about devices, game modes, privacy, and play
When is one-screen xiangqi better than an online room?
Use one screen when both players are physically together. There is no room to create, link to send, or connection to wait for; put the phone or laptop between you and begin. Online is the better choice only when each player needs a separate device.
Can I undo a move if someone slips?
Yes. Undo takes back the last ply. Flip turns the board around if the person sitting opposite wants their own pieces at the bottom of the screen.
Is this the same as playing online against a friend?
No. This page is one screen, two people. If you want two phones, open Online, create a room, and send the invite link. Each device takes one color.
Do we need two accounts or two copies of an app?
Neither. The board is free in the browser and both players share this tab. There is no sign-up, download, or installation step. Closing the tab ends the local position, so finish or review the game before leaving.
Where do the piece designs come from?
The red and black discs are the hnz SVG set from the open-source pychess-variants project on GitHub, used unmodified under GNU AGPL-3.0. The board grid is drawn by this page’s own interface code. The About and Terms pages carry the same credit.