@ TAROU: Thank you for your answer and I'm sorry for my delay.
For now, anyway, I think I'll stick to the official rules, until some sort of arbiter shows me they've changed since the World Xiangqi Federation published them in their website. :-)
Kind regards.

Wait for Sleep: Oh yes... I understood what you had wanted to say.
My rule book is "Chinese Chess for Beginners by Sam Sloan, fourth printing Nov. 2008".

@ TAROU: It does not matter if I am stronger than you at Chinese chess, because strong and weak players must play with the same rules.

Also, you can be sure that I do understand the meaning of "almost".

What I do *not* understand is where did you read that perpetual check is almost always forbidden.

Brainking rules for Chinese chess say: "Perpetual check is forbidden." There is no "almost".

Asian rules as given in the World Xiangqi Federation website say: "In any case, the side who perpetually checks will be ruled to lose." (Section 3.1) Again, there is no "almost".

While we wait for an arbiter to help us clarify this matter, may I ask what is this rulebook you are reading from?
Kind regards.

Wait for Sleep: I think you are *obviously* stronger Chinese chess player than me. So I would like you to understand the meaning of "almost" from the following:

An even more difficult case arises when the position is being repeated because one of the players keeps attacking an enemy piece or else keeps threatening checkmate, without actually giving check. In such cases, the player who is forcing the other to move will be required to make a different move and the game will continue.
In official tournaments there are sometimes disputes about this and an arbiter has to be called. What the arbiter tries to do is to determine the guilt. In other words, there is usually one player, usually the player with the weaker position on the board, who keeps attacking his opponent and forcing the opponent to move back and forth.
In that case, the guilty player will be ordered by the arbiter to change his sequence of moves. However, sometimes it happens that both players are attacking each other. In that case, the game is a draw.

@ TAROU: I'm not sure that I understand what you mean. I was sure that in Chinese chess perpetual check *is* absolutely prohibited (no 'almost'). A few months ago, in an OTB game against a Chinese friend, I played a move threatening mate in one that could only be avoided by giving perpetual check to *my* King, so you could well prove that I was "forcing" my opponent to give it. The perpetual was obvious, but he resigned without trying to give check even once. If it were legal to give perpetual check, he would have given it and drawn the game.

Any clarifications would be welcome, particularly from arbiters.
Thanks in advance.

okjb: My rule book : The draw rule is the most complicated in Chinese chess and in fact has not yet been formalized. The reason for this is that perpetual check and perpetual repetition of moves are quite common possibilities in Chinese chess.
In fact, if players were allowed to force a draw by perpetual repetition of position, as they are in international chess, then almost every fairly evenly contested game of Chinese chess would end in a draw.
As a result, perpetual check is almost absolutely prohibited. Generally, the player giving perpetual check is required to make some other move instead. The catch is about this word 'generally' . If the player can prove that he is being forced by his opponent to give perpetual check, then the game might be ruled a draw.

okjb: Black has to stop chasing your cannon, otherwise he will lose the game, see http://www.clubxiangqi.com/rules/d32to38.htm

Happy new year!

georg21:Thank you, it is what I hoped.

P-G: Part of the menu is translated already. Refer to the 'How to...' section of the manual for actions you want to do. Main things are covered there.
Maybe there will be more topics in the future, but not very soon. Sorry.
Have fun with what is there!

I think a big thanks to herr georg, hans joachim i Jim Png from xqinenglish.com. Mr. Png has opened the xiangqi temple door for the non-asian and non-chinese speaking players. Bravo for all of you!

georg21:A great thanks to you, CCBridge is very nice.
Is there a hope his menu will be translated in english soon? At least a little text joined ?.

Dear Xiangqi friends!

There is a very popular, extremely powerful free Xiangqi database software "CCBridge" almost unknown to Nonasians, as it is Chinese and no English version exists. Nevertheless I like to recommend CCBridge because of its mighty functions: You can input, save and view games (including variations!), create libraries, find games according to search criteria (opening, player, result, position, endgame formation, etc ...), use already existing libraries to improve your strength.

Really great software - Must have!!!

You can download CCBridge at http://www.ccbridge.net/ .
To overcome an obstacle -the language barrier- a manual in English was just written. It makes it easy to work with CCBridge. You get the manual at the download section of "Xiangqi in English" via http://www.xqinenglish.com/ >> OTHERS >> DOWNLOAD (Nr 5).

CCBridge makes it possible to store all games of eg. National Championships or other events in only one file and share them by uploading it to your website, where interested parties can download it. No need to create pages with 10s of boards to view games anymore!
You can create opening and endgame manuals like Hans-Joachim Siewert did in the literature section of the European Xiangqi Federation http://www.chinaschach.de/ (Thanks a lot!) and view them directly on your screen without reading papers or PDFs.

So: Install CCBridge, test it and enjoy!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
Kind regards, Georg

Though I have no eligibility for answering to the survey since I can understand Chinese characters, in arguments in Japan which consider internationalization of shogi, it is certainly come out an opinion that Chinese characters are an obstacle for extension.

Totonno: '...xiangqi must be learned without "western" signs...'

If one reads a book with chinese-symbol-diagrams only, this is of course right!

But also seriously: the chinese symbols may be a bit of an obstacle. Maybe learners get familiar with them soon, but they must have some determination to start learning, not letting them be hindered by the initial difficulty.
One might say that this is kind of a sieve to sort out those not really interested. But OTOH the interest may come with the exercise.

To Thom27: Yes, we can said this way too ;) Seriuosly speaking, i think xiangqi must be learned without "western" signs. It's like learn Chinese western chess with "Ming epowue" figures....

Totonno: ... as the hair in the soup is part of the soup

I agree 100% with you! Chinese signs on pieces are part of the xiangqi.

MengTzu:
NO to all 4.
It is easy to learn a few chinese characters and you will be familiar with them after 1-2 games.
I have more fun playing with original pieces. I regard special boards and pieces as an additional barrier.
There are better ways to make Xiangi more popular in non-asian countries than to invent a new design.

rod03801: Way ahead of you =)

MengTzu: Fencer may not read this board that often. I would suggest you send him a personal message.

Dear all (especially to Fencer),

May I suggest that the players be given an option to view the game in either the Chess-like annotations or a translated version of the conventional Xiangqi annotations?

The Chinese traditionally use an annotation system like this: each move has four components - 1) the name of the piece, 2) the starting file, 3) the direction of the move, and 4) the new file number, or if the piece remains in the same file, then the number of points by which the piece moved. If it's an ambiguous situation, then the first two components become 1) whether the piece is in the front, middle, or back relative to other pieces of the same type in the same file, and 2) piece of the name, and 3) and 4) are the same as above.

Since the traditional Chinese style of annotations is written completely in Chinese (or mostly in Chinese, in a version that uses Chinese numbers for Red's moves and Arabic numbers for Black's moves), I of course do not suggest that we actually use Chinese characters, since most here do not read Chinese. I suggest using symbols: a single alphabet for each piece's name, Arabic numbers for all numbers, and + for forward and front, = for sideways and middle, and - for backward and back. I believe the Asian Xiangqi Federation is already using a type of such translated version of the conventional Chinese annotations.

Using the conventional annotations has two benefits: 1) a player can become familiar with it and be able to read all the games that are recorded in the conventional annotations, and 2) the conventional style allows one easily trace the moves backwards.

Fencer, if you are interested in this, I'll do what I can help you understand how the conventional annotations work (assuming you do not know already, but if you are already familiar with it, then I apologize for making such an assumption.)

MengTzu: thanks, I appreciate your explanation.
I think its especially people like me (that come from western chess) that fall for the easy assumption that the horse is just a knight, but it isn't - it is just similar, but different.
That game is finished by now, and I've grown to enjoy Chinese Chess!

Aganju:

The game rules on this website explains it correctly, but perhaps it can put more emphasis on the sequence of movement, since that is critical in understanding how the piece can be blocked.

The knight (a.k.a. horse, the more precise meaning of the Chinese word representing the piece) must first move orthogonally (i.e. vertically or horizontally) and then diagonally, in such a way that the destination is always two files or two ranks away from the starting point. The sequence of movement is critical, as stated above: it must first move orthogonally. So think of the horse as making two stops in one move - first to an orthogonal point, then to a diagonal point further away. If the first stop - the orthogonal point - is occupied by a piece of either side, then the horse can go no further in that direction.

I'm sure other posters' explanations have already clarified the matter for you, but I thought I'd give a more detailed explanation for anyone who is still having trouble with this rule.

Hey everybody,

Just want to make this quick survey about whether Chess players really prefer "Westernized" style Xiangqi board and pieces. If you are Chess player who did not growing up playing Xiangqi, and if you do not read Chinese, please answer the following:

1) Do you prefer a Xiangqi set with a fully checkered, 9x10 board, with stand-up figurine pieces played in the squares rather than on grid points?

2) If you answer no to 1), do you recommend it as a "transition" Xiangqi set for someone new to Xiangqi (but is familiar with Chess) before he switches to the traditional Xiangqi set?

3) Do you prefer using the traditional board and pieces (flat disks, played on grid points), except that the pieces are represented by symbols/pictures rather than Chinese script?

4) If you answer no to 3), do you recommend such a set (traditional board and pieces, except pieces are represented by symbols/pictures and not Chinese script) to someone new to Xiangqi but is familiar with Chess and doesn't read Chinese?

georg21: I know this site and the webmaster too. Finally we can have in english chinese xiangqi classics! This site is our window on xiangqi world!

Hello to every chess enthusiast,
I like to recommend to everybody who is interested in Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) a really good new website called "Xiangqi in English" (http://www.xqinenglish.com/). There you can find for the first time material on Xiangqi in English, which was only available in Chinese so far. Because there is a great lack of English Xiangqi resources, I regard "Xiangqi in English" as the coming up No1 recource for western Xiangqi.
The scope of "Xiangqi in English" covers basics, openings, midgames, endgames and ancient manuals. Your strenght in Xiangqi will profit from general guidelines as well as from variants and comments given in analysis. The material increases day by day, due to the great efforts of Jim, who runs the website.
You can visit "Xiangqi in English" also on Facebook, where Jim publishes three Xiangqi-puzzles every day. You can try to solve them, no matter if you are a beginner or an advanced player.
But have a look yourself and check things out. If you like it, tell your friends.
Kind regards, Georg

Aganju: Imagine the Knight taking an “L” path during the course of its movement, and taking the longer part of the “L” path first. When the first space it would move over is occupied, its movement in that direction is blocked.

Pedro Martínez:
Does that mean:
A piece horizontally or vertically touching the knight prevents it moving that way, but a piece diagonally touching the knight does not matter?

If so, it did not become clear to me from the rules :-/

Thanks!

Aganju: There would have to be a piece at F9 to prevent the Knight from taking the Rook.

I think this is a bug:
Chinese Chess (Aganju vs. furbster)
I'm new to this game, but the rules explicitely say the knight cannot jump over other pieces, and show an example. But it just did!

Can someone who knows the game please look at that? And help me understand or confirm a bug?

My favourite Endspiel in Chinese Chess is white King+pawn vs your alone black king. You may move in your castle many times, but it's useless. You just waiting, when your Death will come...Slow chinese torture))) At least, you get "flying
cane in the bridge of your nose" , as said great poet in 1925, not old chinese. Russian one!)
Китайские шахматы (PaoloRus против Dimarr)

rod03801: Please, dont banned this guy. I know he can talk correctly, just he is very ardent )))

Justaminute: It is gone and it won't happen again.

computeropponen:
I fail to see how much a post could be of interest to anyone but yourself but in posting it you contravened two of the rules of the user agreement you have agreed to by joining the site:

6.No “Copy'n'Pasting” other user's posts, words or Personal Messages (PM’s) onto any Public Discussion Boards without their permission. Failure to adhere to this may result in you being banned from the Discussion Board, or possibly, banned from posting on all Public Discussion Boards.

4.No Foul Language – It is unacceptable whatever the circumstances. Please be aware that Children may also have access to a Public Board. BrainKing is a Worldwide Site - please also consider that a “word” or “phrase” may not be classed as Foul Language from where you are from, but it may be elsewhere in the World. If in doubt – use an alternative word or phrase. Failure to adhere to this may result in you being banned from the Discussion Board, or possibly, banned from posting on all Public Discussion Boards. This also applies to the posting of links to YouTube videos.

low skill player knows nothing abt chinese chess. how much you know abt commonly used killing technique? " a know "no" player get killed before dawn, before he die he smile" a chinese old saying..
how much you know abt winning endgames? how much u know abt drawing endgames?
these are just basic skill.....

Lol ...It's very strange , Nobody , that great sensei does not play Go))) It seems like drenched chinese butterfly or i don't know like what)))
I may get you few lessons after 6 month )) at the board 19x19)))))) stay here :)

Many of the stratagems and tactics really are the same in XQ and traditional chess: fork, discovered check, closed mate(or half-closed in XQ) ,sacrifice, zugzwang (very rare in XQ) etc
Difference : Opposition 2 kings (impossible in XQ), pat = mat, perpetual check is not a draw in XQ , it's lost...

computeropponen: When I was in China to study Go for three months, I noticed Chinese chess is played on every streetcorner. It's really popular! I played a few games of XiangQi but it's hard to get better when there are so few real life opponents in my country.

Fwiffo: no, i don't play Go. i also play chess, but i am just a beginner with little experience in chess. All i know about chinese chess i use it to play chess. i think the fundamental principle to play the game is the same. there are some difference between, for example; the board size is not the same, chess is played on a 8x8 board with 8 pawns lined up in front, the most important piese is the Queen and the pawn, chinese chess with 9x10 board w only 5 pawns, the rook is the most important one.
As to Go, this is the most difficult game to play with a 19x19 board. i will compare thses 3 type of game as A B and C. A is the highest in the category.

computeropponen: I see. Btw, as you're from China, do you also play Go?

Fwiffo: it is not a comparison of orange & apple, it is a comparison of real & fade.

Fwiffo: well, it is very confusing, they should not be on the list among the established rating players.
they should be on the list among ALL the provisional rating players
Xiaogou should be the no.1 and Praesident the no.5 on the Provisional list with ALL inactive players

Praesident should be the no.1 on the Prov ALL active players list

computeropponen: That's why it is "Provisional".

Les look at the Provisional inactive players only list, the highest rated player is Xiaogou, his BKR is 2468 with (11/0/4) record:
2006 2 loses to gringo 1694
2005 2 loses to chicago Bulls 2287 BKR=4
11 won games;
1 vs BlitzMe 1886 BKR=45
2 vs Siddhim 1236
3 vs thm14291641
2 vs Spiron 1296
1 vs jian 1183
1 vs talon 1364
1 vs Cogitans 1259

his BKR should be the highest at 5 and the lowest at 46

the other one is Praesident , BKR=4 with a perfect record (4/0/0)
2011 1 win vs dogstar 1334
2010 3 won games:
1 win vs Sattha 1734
1 win vs LDV 1829 BKR=13
1 win vs Keith Graham 1456
all the 4 games he just beat up the weak opponents, his BKR should not be 4, the only one highest BKR he beat is with BKR=13.

SO THEY ARE OVERRATED.

Now i understand why they always accept to play the weak player and avoid to play the stronger one.

PaoloRus: That REALLY made me laugh. I hope it was meant as a micky take or you are as cracked as he is.

When you win in March, I thought that I will not survive. I cried and I have not eaten for six days. Headache tortured by me and my heart beat irregularly. I cursed the day when you came here, Mister. Since
then I played a lot with strong opponents, with weak opponents too.
I sometimes play, even I cann't learn anything. because i think we should give a chance for the weak players, even we don't talk to
them. And now i believe in myself like never before.
Please don't go from this site. Wait, when the number of my games will be 15 - 18 (now i am little brain pawn) . And i will challenge
you to a Great Fight. And if this fight will be fair - you will be beaten and destroyed... You should'nt be so arrogant, Nobody...
Remember : "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100 000 who have only interests."

you don't play the weak player, how the stronger than you player play you? you may ask this question

In the old day, it has a way to do it, you have to pay to play a game with the pro. and there are some kind of handicap game available depends on the level of you playing skill.
so you have to pay to learn, nothing is free. if they like you, they may pointed out what you went wrong after the game.

it remind me that some kind of players here, they always accept playing with weak players, and they always avoid to play the stronger one, what a shame

what happen after you improved yourself and you can beat your opponent, don't play him again, look for another stronger than you player for a game..

So the point is that Chinese Chess players don't talk to each other. I should never talk to weaker players, and stronger players will never talk to me…

the quality for the good players is, the strong desire to learn and improve himself.

when i was young, my teacher, a chinese chess champion, he told me that stay away from playing with weak player, you never learn anything from them, show respect to a good player better than you, play with them if you can, and talk to them to ask for advise.
never talk to a weak player, you would not learn a thing from them, and you don't know what they are talking abt.... .