Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) is a fast, aggressive two-player battle fought across a river with cannons, chariots, and horses. Pieces sit on the intersections, and the two generals can never look each other in the eye.

Xiangqi traces back over a thousand years in China and is one of the most popular board games in the world, played daily in parks and teahouses across Asia. It shares a common ancestor with Western chess in the Indian chaturanga.

• The board is 9×10 with a central 'river' and two 3×3 'palaces' the generals cannot leave.
• Pieces move on the line intersections, not inside the squares.
• The cannon moves like a chariot but must jump exactly one piece to capture.
• Elephants cannot cross the river and soldiers gain sideways movement once they do.
• You win by checkmating or stalemating the enemy general; the two generals may never face each other on an open file.

• Develop your chariots (rooks) and cannons onto open files early — they are your strongest attackers.
• Use horses to support the attack, remembering they can be 'hobbled' by a blocking piece.
• Push soldiers across the river to gain extra attacking power.
• Coordinate two or three attackers against the enemy palace to force mate.

• Chariots are worth far more than horses or cannons — activate them first.
• A cannon needs a 'screen' to fire; watch when your opponent removes or adds one.
• Keep your general defended; a single exposed file can lose instantly.
• Trade down into a winning endgame when you're ahead in strong pieces.