Goal: trap the enemy General so it cannot escape. Checkmate — or even stalemate — wins the game.
The pieces
- General 帥/將 one step orthogonally inside the palace; the two Generals may never face each other down an open file.
- Advisor 仕/士 one step diagonally, always inside the palace.
- Elephant 相/象 two steps diagonally, never crossing the river; blocked by a piece at its “eye”.
- Horse 骕 one orthogonal then one diagonal; blocked by a piece at its “leg”.
- Chariot 车 any distance orthogonally (like a rook).
- Cannon 烁/砮 moves like a Chariot but captures by jumping exactly one screen piece.
- Soldier 兹/单 one step forward; once past the river it may also step sideways. Never backward.
The board
- Pieces sit on the line intersections; the river divides the two halves.
- The 3×3 palace (marked with diagonals) confines each General and its Advisors.
Playing
- Tap a piece to see its legal moves, then tap a highlighted point.
- Use Undo, Flip, or play vs Computer (Easy / Medium / Hard) — you are Red.
- Shortcuts: N new · U undo · R rules.
- The game is saved in this browser — close the tab and come back.