Open a Room
Send this room link to a friend and start the match as soon as they join.
Or find a public table
Move history
Coordinate notation (files a–i, ranks 1–10)
Moves appear here once both seats are filled and Red opens.
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.
A xiangqi table that travels as a link
You should not need to persuade a friend to install an app before you can play one game. Open a private room, send its link in the conversation you already use, and the second browser takes the empty seat. A phone can play a laptop; both devices only need a modern browser.
Private rooms are for a specific friend. Public five-character codes can expose an empty seat to Find Match when you would rather play whoever arrives. Each browser shows its own pieces at the bottom. The server checks every move. Rooms are temporary and free: no account, download, rating, or permanent match archive.
If both players are together, the two-player board is still the faster way. Playing alone? Sit across from the computer. The AI page does not wait for a second seat.
How to sit two browsers
- Tap Open Online Room. Copy the invite link (private by default) or switch to a public code.
- Send the link to a friend. The other device opens the invite and takes the remaining seat.
- Once both seats are filled, Red opens unless swapped. Your pieces sit at the bottom of the board.
- Keep your general safe — checkmate ends the game the moment the opposing general cannot escape.
Frequently asked questions
Practical answers about devices, game modes, privacy, and play
What happens if Find Match cannot find someone immediately?
The page can open a public table and wait for the other color to sit. This is a lightweight waiting-seat system, not a ranked global ladder, so a match is not guaranteed at every moment. For a dependable game, create a private room and send the link to someone you know.
How do I play a friend on another phone?
Create a room. A private invite is the default — copy the link and send it. Switch to a public room if you want a five-character code that Find Match can list. The other person opens the link and sits in the empty color. The server checks every move.
Should I use 2 Player instead?
Yes, if you are in the same room and happy to pass one device. Online is for two browsers — two phones, two laptops, or one of each — not for handing a single screen across the table.
Will I need an account or app for online play?
No. A room link or public code is enough, and each player can use a phone or computer browser. There is nothing to install and no profile to create. Rooms are temporary; closing the last tab ends the table.
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.