Xiangqi variant

Turn over all 32 pieces, so you can't see what they are, and mix them all well. Then put them all face-down on the *squares* of a half-board--not on the intersections, on the squares, like in orthodox chess.

After deciding who goes first, the first player chooses a piece to turn over, which constitutes one move. Then the second player turns over a piece. The players then alternate, either turning over another piece or making a move with a piece already turned up.

All the pieces move the same way--one square up, down, right, or left, but not diagonally. You can move a piece onto any adjacent empty square, or onto an adjacent square occupied by another piece by capturing that piece, if legal. The captured piece is then removed from the board. Moving is compulsory, capturing not.

Each piece can take any piece that's equal or lower in rank. The exception is that a pawn *can* take a king!

A game is won when you have captured all men from your opponent, or when he resigns. Checkmating the king doesn't end the game, draws are rare.

Material gain is the highest objective. Be careful when capturing that your piece isn't trapped or lost to another higher piece.

There is no checking or hitting violations, no repetition prohibitions. Force your opponent to take risks by having to turn over unknown pieces next to his. In some positions, the rook may even be worth more than the king.

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Last modified on: September 29, 2001.

Comments

Date	Name	Rating	Comment
2005-12-31	Yao Ming	Good	НЋ ЪП Яѓ ГЕ Тэ Хк зф ЫЇ
2004-10-29	Chinese	Good	Perhaps you made a mistake.The popular rank is: King -> Guard -> Bishop -> Rook -> Horse -> Cannon -> Pawn -->> King Good Work!
2003-05-19	susanfong@email.com	None	I forgot to put in my email address (I've just posted a comment on this subject). My name is susan and my email address is susanfong@email.com
2003-05-19	S Fong	Excellent	My son, who is 4 years old, mastered this game within a month and beats me now and sometimes the computer too! An excellent game I played as a child in Hong Kong too. It is often called Mang Kei (in Cantonese) in Hong Kong, Mang meaning 'blind'. If anyone knows where I can download a program of this game, or buy one, please let me know! Also I need to download a program that has Airplane chess (not really chess but a boardgame) for my little ones too. Thanks! Susan.
2002-12-20		None	This game is a very popular form called An-Qi (or covered) chess. It is very popular version of the game. There is also a totally different way of playing this covered chess in which the pieces themselves actually move and capture like in regular Chinese Chess. 1. The general moves one space up, down or sideways and not diagonally. Generals may face each other. When the general is checkmated, the game is over. 2. The two mandarins move one space diagonally. 3. The elephants may move one or two spaces diagonally and may jump over the intervening piece, be in opponent or yours, covered or uncovered piece. 4. The horses move the same way. It is crippled by a piece the same way as in Chinese Chess. However, only opponent pieces may cripple your horse. Covered pieces count as empty squares so a horse may jump over them. 5. The chariots move exactly the same way. 6. The cannons move one or two spaces forward, back or sideways. It captures by jumping over a screen and taking the enemy piece beyond it. Covered pieces count as empty spaces. 7. The soldiers move like the king. There is also a version allowing the rank just across the river as open to be able to move there. You can move your pieces to any spot just like crossing the river. However, the general, mandarins and soldiers may not move across the river. Only one rank directly across the river can be used and any major piece may move there. Stalemate is a victory for the stalemated general.

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A Xiangqi Variant

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