---
title: "Xiangqi FAQ — Common Questions Answered · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Short, direct answers to common questions about xiangqi (Chinese chess): how to win, how it differs from chess, why stalemate loses, and how to start playing free."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/faq
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# Xiangqi FAQ

Short answers to the questions people ask most about xiangqi and about this site. Each links to the page that covers it properly.

## Frequently asked questions about xiangqi

What is xiangqi?

Xiangqi (象棋), or Chinese chess, is a two-player strategy game on a 9×10 grid of intersections divided by a river, with a nine-point palace at each end. Each side has 16 pieces and wins by checkmating the enemy general.

Is xiangqi the same as Chinese chess?

Yes. “Xiangqi” is the Mandarin name and “Chinese chess” the usual English description of the same game.

How do you pronounce xiangqi?

“Shyahng-chee” — Mandarin *xiàngqí*, IPA [ɕi̯âŋ tɕʰǐ]. The *x* is a soft *sh* rather than a *ks* sound, and the *q* is the *ch* of “cheese” rather than a *k*. The first syllable falls in pitch and the second rises. [More on the name and what it means](https://xiangqimaster.com/history-of-xiangqi#the-name).

How many pieces are there in xiangqi?

Thirty-two in total — 16 each, of seven types: one general, two advisors, two elephants, two horses, two chariots, two cannons and five soldiers. Chess has 16 a side too, but of six types and in different proportions. [Where each of them starts](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/board-setup).

How many intersections are on a xiangqi board?

Ninety — nine files by ten ranks. Pieces sit *on* the intersections rather than inside the squares, which is the most common mistake when setting a board up for the first time. [The board, explained](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/board-setup).

Can a horse (knight) enter the palace?

Yes — any piece may enter either palace. The palace confines the general and its two advisors, which may never *leave* it; it keeps nothing out. The only piece that can never reach the enemy palace is the elephant, and that is the river stopping it rather than the palace. [How the horse moves](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/how-the-horse-moves).

When was xiangqi invented?

It took its modern form during the Song dynasty (960–1279), so about a thousand years ago. No single inventor is recorded. Claims that the game is two or three thousand years old are dating the name 象棋, which is older than the game it now refers to. [The history in full](https://xiangqimaster.com/history-of-xiangqi).

How do you win at xiangqi?

By checkmate, or by leaving your opponent with no legal move — [stalemate is a loss](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/check-and-checkmate) in xiangqi, not a draw.

How is xiangqi different from chess?

Pieces sit on intersections; the general and advisors never leave the palace; elephants never cross the river; the cannon captures by jumping a screen; there is no promotion or castling; stalemate loses; and repetition is [adjudicated rather than automatically drawn](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/perpetual-check-and-chase).

Can I play xiangqi online for free?

Yes — [here](https://play.xiangqimaster.com/play?from=faq-page), against the computer or a real opponent, with no download and no payment.

How do I learn xiangqi as a complete beginner?

Start with [the board setup](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/board-setup), then [the beginner's guide](https://xiangqimaster.com/learn/how-to-play-xiangqi), then play. The [academy](https://xiangqimaster.com/learn) sets out the whole route.

What is the best xiangqi opening?

The [Central Cannon](https://xiangqimaster.com/openings/central-cannon) is the most popular and the sharpest. For beginners it is also the most instructive, because its plan is direct.

Why is stalemate a loss in xiangqi?

Because the rules define it that way: a player with no legal move is 困毙, “trapped to death”, and loses. It removes a defensive resource that western chess players rely on, and it makes many endgames winnable that would otherwise be drawn.

Is perpetual check a draw?

No — the player giving perpetual check **loses**. See [perpetual check and chase](https://xiangqimaster.com/rules/perpetual-check-and-chase).

Do I need an account?

No. You can play and learn without one. [An account](https://play.xiangqimaster.com/signup?from=faq-page) adds a rating, saved games and progress tracking.

## Still curious?

The fastest way to understand xiangqi is to play a game. It takes about five minutes.