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Introduction to Xiangqi
Updated 10 October 1999 |
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By Bill Brydon Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, is the ancient relative of chess, as played in the west. It looks very different: its pieces are marked with Chinese characters, and it is played on a nine-by-ten grid. But it is deeply and organically chess-like. Indeed, it is chess, every bit as much as the game played in the west. It involves delicate positional play, dense opening theory, sacrificial attacks, and many technical end-games. Like chess, xiangqi has a large gallery of heroes. Leading the list is Chinese grandmaster, Hu Rong Hua of Shanghai, winner of 13 Chinese championships. Now in his 50s, he is still near the top of the rating list, and still wins elite tournaments. Xiangqi's most elite title is the "Qi Wang", or "king of chess". The first Qi Wang was GM Hu. The current Qi Wang is GM Lu Qin of Guangdong Province (adjoining Hong Kong), whose large trophy collection dates back to the 1980s. In 1998, he defended his title against another key figure, Xu Yin Chuan, also from Guangdong Province. Renowned for his creativity, Xu is regularly described as a positional genius. The Chinese grandmasters dominate Asia, but not without opposition. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam have produced international grandmasters. The west is understandably weaker, but there are a number of strong masters in North America and Europe. In addition to its modern face, xiangqi has deep traditional roots. It can be found in virtually any neighborhood or village throughout China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. It is also popular throughout Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand and Malaysia. In recent years, it has been successfully introduced into Japan. In the west, xiangqi can easily be found in any Chinatown. However, unlike Shogi (Japanese chess) or weiqi (go), it is very slow to cross the East/West cultural divide. Most progress has come in Europe. The strongest group is in France, and others can be found in Germany, Finland, Italy, and the UK. Before the rise of the Internet, the problems of linking up western xiangqi communities, and of distributing English-language information, were overwhelming. The Web has transformed the landscape, but it has taken six hard years. Now, really for the first time ever, a large portion of what is needed to learn the game properly can be obtained on, or through, the Web. It is also possible to gain playing experience at any level. Key Sources Web Pages The Xiangqi Home Page Provided by Peter Sung, founder of the Toronto Xiangqi Association, this is the Web's primary source of news, software, advanced rules, and links. All software is free, and includes client programs for ICCS (the server favoured by strong players), and a games database/viewer. Linked to the Toronto Xiangqi Association homepage (http://txa.ipoline.com/club/txa/txa.htm). All questions are welcomed. The "Chess Variants" Xiangqi Page Beginner-level introduction, plus links. Clearly shows the board and pieces, and explains movement powers and basic rules. Daniel Kian McKiernan's PDF handouts A more detailed set of rules for both Chinese and Korean chess, plus boards and pieces that can be printed out and used. i.am/cchess Newsgroup Magazines Games Servers About the author: |