What is forbidden for the two generals?

Facing each other on an open file

Xiangqi Quiz: The River, the Palace and Chinese Chess Pieces

This xiangqi quiz crosses the river that divides the board. Play 10 interactive questions on pieces placed on intersections, a 9 by 10 grid, the river, the palace, generals and advisors confined inside, elephants that cannot cross the river, horses that can be blocked, cannons that jump to capture, soldiers that turn sideways after crossing and the rule that generals cannot face each other.

Start Xiangqi Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Where
Where are xiangqi pieces placed?
Grid
How many lines make up the board?
River
What divides the board in the middle?
Palace
Where must the general stay?
Advisor
Which pieces guard the general inside the palace?
Elephant
Which piece cannot cross the river?
Horse
How can a horse be blocked?
Cannon
How does a cannon capture?
Soldier
What changes after a soldier crosses the river?
Face
What is forbidden for the two generals?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Where are xiangqi pieces placed?
Answer: On intersections
Like Go stones.
Q2: How many lines make up the board?
Answer: 9 by 10
Giving 90 points.
Q3: What divides the board in the middle?
Answer: The river
Some pieces cannot cross it.
Q4: Where must the general stay?
Answer: In the palace
A 3 by 3 area.
Q5: Which pieces guard the general inside the palace?
Answer: Advisors
They move diagonally.
Q6: Which piece cannot cross the river?
Answer: Elephant
It defends its own side.
Q7: How can a horse be blocked?
Answer: A piece next to it in its path
This is called hobbling.
Q8: How does a cannon capture?
Answer: By jumping over exactly one piece
It moves like a chariot otherwise.
Q9: What changes after a soldier crosses the river?
Answer: It can also move sideways
It never moves backward.
Q10: What is forbidden for the two generals?
Answer: Facing each other on an open file
Called the flying general rule.

Rivers and Palaces

Xiangqi, or Chinese chess, is played on the intersections of a 9 by 10 grid rather than in squares, giving 90 points. A river divides the board in the middle, and each side has a palace, a 3 by 3 area marked with diagonal lines. Red traditionally moves first.

The general must stay in the palace, guarded by advisors that move diagonally within it. Elephants move two points diagonally but cannot cross the river, so they defend their own side. Horses move like knights but can be hobbled by a piece blocking their path, and chariots move like rooks.

Cannons move like chariots but capture by jumping over exactly one piece. Soldiers move forward and, after crossing the river, can also move sideways, but never backward. The two generals may never face each other on an open file, the flying general rule, which shapes many endgames.

What This Quiz Teaches

Strategy game fans will enjoy these questions.

Where pieces stand
What the river does
Who lives in the palace
How special pieces move
Which rule limits generals

Did You Know?

Pieces are round discs with characters.
Red and black are the two sides.
Xiangqi is hugely popular in China.
Park games draw crowds of watchers.
Endgame studies are a rich tradition.