Chinese Chess(Xiangqi) ---- Introduction to Basic Checkmate Methods
Posted: 24 January 2016, 08:08
Hello Xiangqi players, I just want to introduce the basic checkmates of Xiangqi to you, enjoy it 
Sorry that I dont know the actual terms of checkmates in English, so those terms are my own translations.
I will update this topics by the time, please be patient.
If you have any questions, you could ask me at this post.
ps:
1) I will record the move as [colour][piece name] ([former rank][former file])-[new rank][new file]
e.g: red Chariot(67)─47; black Advisor(25)─(36)
2) Starting player of all figures are red.
3) Search the content you want to know by "Ctrl+F"
Content:
1) how to make use of the rule to check
(flying general/win by stalemate)
Commonly used:
2) Smile (also called "General's Smile") [Chinese: 對面笑]
3) Double Chariots [Chinese: 雙車錯]
4) Double Cannons [Chinese: 重炮]
5) Smothered/Smothered by Cannon [Chinese: 悶殺/悶宮]
6) Horsing [Chinese: 臥槽馬]
7) Riding (also called "Horse-Cannon Checkmate") [Chinese: 馬後炮]
8) Ghosts knock (also called "Double Soldiers") [Chinese: 二鬼拍門]
9) Double Check [Chinese: 雙將]
Cannon combo:
10) Crossing Cannons [Chinese: 天地炮]
11) Double Cannons with Chariot [Chinese: 夾車炮]
12) Sweeping (also called "Discovered check with Chariot-Cannon") [Chinese: 炮輾丹沙]
Horse combo:
13) Double Horses [Chinese: 雙馬飲泉]
14) Fishing [Chinese: 釣魚馬]
15) Corner Horse [Chinese: 掛角馬]
16) Jail [Chinese: 八角馬/定將馬]
17) Tiger [Chinese: 側面虎]
18) Discovered check with Horse [Chinese: 拔簧馬]
Tactical combo:
18) Iron Bolt [Chinese: 鐵門栓]
19) Landing (also called "Back Rank with 3 pieces") [Chinese: 三子歸邊]
20) Reining Horse [Chinese: 勒馬車]
21) Breakthrough the Heart [Chinese: 大膽穿心/雙車脅士]
22) Triple Chariots [Chinese: 三車鬧士/連將三把手]
23) Pressing moves (also called "Chariot-Horse combo") [Chinese: 車馬冷著]
Other checkmates
24) Chasing with Soldier [Chinese: 三進兵]
25) Fetch the moon [Chinese: 海底撈月]
====================
1) how to make use of the rule to check
a) flying general
In Xiangqi, two generals may not face each other along the same file with no intervening pieces. If that happens, the "flying general" move may be executed, in which the general to move may cross the board to capture the opponent general.
In other words, general can protect pieces(usually Chariot or Soldier) to check opponent in Xiangqi.
example1:
red Chariot can take the black Advisor and check the black, because it is protected by red General.
example2:
red Soldier is ckecking the black, but the black General cannot take the red Soldier.
b) win by stalemate
In Xiangqi, a player with no legal moves left loses.
example:
If black move General, than it will be captured by red Soldier.
if black move Advisor, red General can capture black General by "flying general" move.
black has no legal moves left, red win by stalemate.
====================
2) Smile(also called "General's Smile")
"Smile" is a checkmate method which is the General controlled the middle file with no intervening pieces, blocked the opponent General the way to move left or right, then check the opponent General along the same file with other pieces
If opponent haves no interposing move to safe his General, then he is checkmated.
example1:
red General is on the middle file and block the way that black General can move left,
and red Chariot is checking black General along the same file.
black is checkmated, red win.
example2:
black General is in check by red Soldier, but black General have no move left(red General blocked the left way, and black Horse blocked the back way), black is checkmated.
example3:
black General is in check by red Cannon, but black General have no move left(red General blocked the left way, and no piece can interpose the check)
practice:
In the figure, red is in danger, if black Chariot(91)─101，red will be checkmated.
but, if the red know how to use "Smile" checkmate, red can win this.
red move first:
red Chariot(67)─47; black Advisor(25)─(36)
Red reach the main condition to use "Smile": General control the middle file with no intervening pieces.
red Chariot(47)─48+!; black General(26)─36
Sacrifice Chariot to take the Advisor, break the defending of twin advisor and decoy the black General to movie upward and face the offensive of red Soldier.
red Cannon(32)─34; black Chariot(61)─66
Black could only interpose the check with Chariot.
red Soldier(64)─74; black General(36)─26
Black Chariot has no chance to take the red Soldier, if black do so, red Cannon can capture black General.
red Soldier(74)─84; black General(26)─16
red Soldier(84)─94#
Just like the figure, black General have no move left.
(red General blocked the left way; if black General take red Soldier, it will be captured by red Cannon)
====================
Sorry that I dont know the actual terms of checkmates in English, so those terms are my own translations.
I will update this topics by the time, please be patient.
If you have any questions, you could ask me at this post.
ps:
1) I will record the move as [colour][piece name] ([former rank][former file])-[new rank][new file]
e.g: red Chariot(67)─47; black Advisor(25)─(36)
2) Starting player of all figures are red.
3) Search the content you want to know by "Ctrl+F"
Content:
1) how to make use of the rule to check
(flying general/win by stalemate)
Commonly used:
2) Smile (also called "General's Smile") [Chinese: 對面笑]
3) Double Chariots [Chinese: 雙車錯]
4) Double Cannons [Chinese: 重炮]
5) Smothered/Smothered by Cannon [Chinese: 悶殺/悶宮]
6) Horsing [Chinese: 臥槽馬]
7) Riding (also called "Horse-Cannon Checkmate") [Chinese: 馬後炮]
8) Ghosts knock (also called "Double Soldiers") [Chinese: 二鬼拍門]
9) Double Check [Chinese: 雙將]
Cannon combo:
10) Crossing Cannons [Chinese: 天地炮]
11) Double Cannons with Chariot [Chinese: 夾車炮]
12) Sweeping (also called "Discovered check with Chariot-Cannon") [Chinese: 炮輾丹沙]
Horse combo:
13) Double Horses [Chinese: 雙馬飲泉]
14) Fishing [Chinese: 釣魚馬]
15) Corner Horse [Chinese: 掛角馬]
16) Jail [Chinese: 八角馬/定將馬]
17) Tiger [Chinese: 側面虎]
18) Discovered check with Horse [Chinese: 拔簧馬]
Tactical combo:
18) Iron Bolt [Chinese: 鐵門栓]
19) Landing (also called "Back Rank with 3 pieces") [Chinese: 三子歸邊]
20) Reining Horse [Chinese: 勒馬車]
21) Breakthrough the Heart [Chinese: 大膽穿心/雙車脅士]
22) Triple Chariots [Chinese: 三車鬧士/連將三把手]
23) Pressing moves (also called "Chariot-Horse combo") [Chinese: 車馬冷著]
Other checkmates
24) Chasing with Soldier [Chinese: 三進兵]
25) Fetch the moon [Chinese: 海底撈月]
====================
1) how to make use of the rule to check
a) flying general
In Xiangqi, two generals may not face each other along the same file with no intervening pieces. If that happens, the "flying general" move may be executed, in which the general to move may cross the board to capture the opponent general.
In other words, general can protect pieces(usually Chariot or Soldier) to check opponent in Xiangqi.
example1:
red Chariot can take the black Advisor and check the black, because it is protected by red General.
example2:
red Soldier is ckecking the black, but the black General cannot take the red Soldier.
b) win by stalemate
In Xiangqi, a player with no legal moves left loses.
example:
If black move General, than it will be captured by red Soldier.
if black move Advisor, red General can capture black General by "flying general" move.
black has no legal moves left, red win by stalemate.
====================
2) Smile(also called "General's Smile")
"Smile" is a checkmate method which is the General controlled the middle file with no intervening pieces, blocked the opponent General the way to move left or right, then check the opponent General along the same file with other pieces
If opponent haves no interposing move to safe his General, then he is checkmated.
example1:
red General is on the middle file and block the way that black General can move left,
and red Chariot is checking black General along the same file.
black is checkmated, red win.
example2:
black General is in check by red Soldier, but black General have no move left(red General blocked the left way, and black Horse blocked the back way), black is checkmated.
example3:
black General is in check by red Cannon, but black General have no move left(red General blocked the left way, and no piece can interpose the check)
practice:
In the figure, red is in danger, if black Chariot(91)─101，red will be checkmated.
but, if the red know how to use "Smile" checkmate, red can win this.
red move first:
red Chariot(67)─47; black Advisor(25)─(36)
Red reach the main condition to use "Smile": General control the middle file with no intervening pieces.
red Chariot(47)─48+!; black General(26)─36
Sacrifice Chariot to take the Advisor, break the defending of twin advisor and decoy the black General to movie upward and face the offensive of red Soldier.
red Cannon(32)─34; black Chariot(61)─66
Black could only interpose the check with Chariot.
red Soldier(64)─74; black General(36)─26
Black Chariot has no chance to take the red Soldier, if black do so, red Cannon can capture black General.
red Soldier(74)─84; black General(26)─16
red Soldier(84)─94#
Just like the figure, black General have no move left.
(red General blocked the left way; if black General take red Soldier, it will be captured by red Cannon)
====================