The opening in xiangqi (Chinese chess) is the first dozen or so moves of the game: calling your chariots, horses and cannons out from their starting points and forming a shape that can both attack and defend. There seem to be a lot of names — Central Cannon, Screen Horses, the Pawn opening — but every one of them answers the same question: how do I bring my pieces out without blocking each other, while grabbing the centre?
This page does not ask you to memorise anything. For each opening we only look at the first two or three moves, enough to see what it is trying to do. The move records under the diagrams are played out move by move by this site's rules engine. If notation like C2=5 is new to you, read how to read xiangqi notation first.
Three opening principles
1. Get your chariots, horses and cannons out quickly. An old saying goes, "if your chariot hasn't moved by move three, you've half lost the game." The chariot is your strongest piece, but it starts locked in the corner; the horse has to jump out of the way first. Ask yourself on every opening move: does this move bring a new piece into play?
2. Fight for the centre. The general sits in the middle, so the central file, the central pawn and the horses on either side of it are where both sides attack and defend. A cannon on the central file and horses guarding the central pawn are both fighting for that line.
3. Don't move your general, and don't box it in. In the opening the general is safest inside its palace. Be careful not to jump your own horse right in front of it (the "heart-blocking horse", 窩心馬) — your general's escape routes get sealed by your own piece.
Central Cannon: the most common first move
When Red's first move puts the right-hand cannon on the central file, that is the Central Cannon (中炮, *zhōng pào*), written C2=5. The cannon looks down the centre, past Red's own central soldier, at Black's central pawn and general, putting pressure on Black from move one. That is why it is the most popular first move.
There are many ways to play the Central Cannon. *The Secret in the Tangerine* (《橘中秘》), a game collection handed down from the late Ming dynasty, spends most of its pages on how to attack with it. How Black should answer the Central Cannon is the biggest topic in all of opening theory; the section "Black's replies to the Central Cannon" below goes through them one by one.
Five other first moves for Red
If you would rather not start with a head-on clash, Red has several quieter options:
| Opening | First move | Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-Palace Cannon (過宮炮) | C2=6 | The cannon crosses the palace to the other side, avoiding a head-on fight |
| Palcorner Cannon (士角炮) | C2=4 | The cannon stops on the palace corner, guarding the general and supporting both wings |
| Horse opening (起馬局) | H2+3 | Bring a horse out first and decide later depending on Black's reply |
| Elephant opening (飛相局) | E3+5 | Fly the elephant to the centre — the most solid start |
| Pawn opening (仙人指路) | P7+1 | Push one soldier and probe Black's intentions |
Cross-Palace Cannon
Palcorner Cannon
Horse opening
Elephant opening
The Elephant opening is solid, a good fit for players who don't like being attacked from move one. How the elephant moves and why it cannot cross the river: see how the elephant moves in xiangqi.
Pawn opening
Its Chinese name, 仙人指路 (*xiānrén zhǐ lù*), means "the immortal points the way": like an immortal pointing a finger in one direction first. Pushing the soldier doesn't attack yet — it makes Black show their hand.
Black's replies to the Central Cannon
Once Red sets up the Central Cannon, Black's central pawn and general are both in its sights. The five most common answers:
Screen Horses
Both horses jump to either side of the central pawn, like a folding screen (屏風馬, *píngfēng mǎ*) standing in front of the general. It is the steadiest and most popular answer to the Central Cannon; *The Plum Blossom Manual* (《梅花譜》) from the Qing dynasty is devoted almost entirely to Screen Horses against the Central Cannon.
Reverse Palace Horse
Jump one horse, move the cannon on the other side to the palace corner, then jump the second horse (反宮馬, *fǎn gōng mǎ*). Cannon and horse guard the centre together, and the cannon can strike out at any time.
Single Lifted Horse
One horse jumps out normally and the other goes to the edge (單提馬, *dān tí mǎ*), so the chariot on that side can come out early. The price is that an edge horse is weaker (see how the horse moves in xiangqi for why).
Same Direction Cannons
Black also puts a cannon in the centre, moving it from the "same" side as Red's — the Same Direction Cannons (順手炮, *shùnshǒu pào*). The two cannons face each other head-on, and both sides are attacking right away.
Opposite Direction Cannons
Black also answers with a central cannon, but uses the cannon on the other side — the Opposite Direction Cannons (列手炮, *lièshǒu pào*). Like Same Direction Cannons it is attack against attack, with even sharper play.
Black's replies to the Pawn opening
After Red pushes a soldier, Black's two most common answers:
Cannon behind the Pawn
Move a cannon onto the file facing Red's advanced soldier; the cannon hides behind Black's own pawn and eyes the soldier Red just pushed (卒底炮, *zú dǐ pào*).
Pawn against pawn
You push a soldier, I push a pawn (對兵, *duì bīng*): each side opens a road for a horse, and the position stays calm.
The opening trap beginners fall for: cannon takes the central pawn
After setting up the Central Cannon, many players can't resist taking Black's central pawn on the very next move — Red's own central soldier sits in between as a screen, so it looks like a free pawn. The trouble is, Black's horse is already out:
A cannon is worth about 4 points and a pawn just 1 — a terrible trade. Remember: before you capture, check whether that square is protected by an enemy piece. The real power of the Central Cannon is the *threat* that it can take the central pawn at any moment, not rushing to actually do it.
FAQ
Do I have to open with the Central Cannon?
No. The Central Cannon is the most common, but the Elephant, Horse and Pawn openings are all perfectly respectable; the difference is whether you want to attack or defend. Beginners can stick to one or two openings and switch once they are comfortable.
How many moves of theory do I need to memorise?
The first three to five moves are plenty. More important than memorising is remembering three things: develop chariots, horses and cannons fast, fight for the centre, and don't let your own pieces block your general.
What is the difference between Same Direction and Opposite Direction Cannons?
In both, Black answers with a central cannon of its own. Using the cannon on the "same hand" as Red's is Same Direction Cannons; using the cannon on the other side is Opposite Direction Cannons. Both lead to attacking play.
Why are Screen Horses so popular?
The two horses protect the central pawn together, which neatly blunts the Central Cannon without boxing in the general. It is solid and rich in ideas, and has been the favourite answer to the Central Cannon for hundreds of years.
Why shouldn't I jump a horse right in front of my general?
That square is nicknamed the "heart-blocking horse". With a horse standing in front of the general, the general has fewer escape squares, and a cannon check down the central file can easily smother it.
Try it yourself
Pick an opening you like and play xiangqi online against the computer for a few games, concentrating on getting the first five moves right. To see what each piece can do once it is out, read the xiangqi pieces guide; to learn how to finish a game after the opening, continue with xiangqi checkmates. For the big picture, go back to the Chinese chess home page.
