Changi

Board

Chunks are played on a rectangular board, lined with vertical and horizontal lines, 9 × 10 lines (9 verticals and 10 contour lines). When playing, as in go or rendju , the figures are placed on the intersection of lines, called points . Nine points on the side of each player, formed by the intersections of the three horizontals nearest to the player and the three central verticals, form a palace - it stands out on the board with diagonal lines passing through the center and corner fields of the palace. The palace affects the moves of some figures.

The difference from the Xiangqi board is that there is no river on the changi board - in the space between the fifth and sixth horizontal lines of the verticals are not interrupted, and the whole board is accessible to all figures except generals and guards.

Figures and moves

Both players get the same sets of pieces, each - their own color. Traditionally, one set has a green or blue color, the second - red. The traditional form of Changi figures is flat octagons with hieroglyphic symbols applied to them. The figures have different sizes - the more important the figure is, the bigger it is. Green moves first in a game, then moves are made in turn.

Each kit includes sixteen figures: a general, two guards, two elephants, two horses, two chariots, two cannons and five soldiers. The composition of the figures is the same as in Xiangqi, some of the figures walk similarly, some - in a manner different from that of Xiangqi.

Changs can make either normal moves or take moves. A move with a take can be made when the opponent's figure is on the final field where the piece goes. When a opponent is taken, the opponent's figure is removed from the board, and the figure who took it becomes its place. Unlike European chess, in Changi, all the pieces go the same way as they beat (in chess, the pawn makes the usual move in one way, the move with the take - in another). Taken pieces are removed from the board and no longer appear in this game.

There is an original rule in the arrangement of figures: unlike other chess games, where the initial arrangement is usually fixed, players can change the position of the bishops and knights in changi. In the standard arrangement, the figures go in a “staggered” order: chariot, horse, elephant, guard, general (on the second rank), guard, elephant, horse, chariot. But the player has the right to swap elephants and horses. According to the accepted tradition, after the draw of color (performed in a way that is quite familiar to Europeans: one of the players holds pawns (soldiers) of different colors in the hands, the other chooses one of the hands, thus getting one or another color) first plays the player in red, and only then - playing green. It is believed that this gives Green a certain strategic advantage: placing the figures second, this player can, at his own will, either copy the position of the opponent’s elephants and horses, or choose the opposite.

General

At the beginning of the party is located at the central point of the palace. The item behind the general remains empty.

Walks one square vertically or horizontally, as well as along the diagonal lines depicted on the board, connecting the corners of the palace with its central point. Can only move within the palace. The general is the main figure, losing her means losing the game. Therefore, it is forbidden to leave your general under the battle of the enemy figure. It is also forbidden to leave your general in confrontation with the enemy general, that is, in a position where the generals are standing on the same vertical and there are no figures between them.

Security Guard

In the initial position are on the first horizontal, on the corner points of the palace.

He walks the same way as a general — one field vertically, horizontally, and marked diagonals — cannot go beyond the palace. Due to the limited scope, it is considered to be a rather weak figure, in the party it is used practically only for the protection of the general.

Horse

At the beginning of the game, the horses are located on the first horizontal, on the second or third vertical from the edges of the board.

He walks like a horse in Xiangqi - in one move he makes two movements - first one square vertically or horizontally, then one square diagonally to the right or left from the direction of the first movement. A horse in changi is a linear figure, it does not “jump” through the fields, but moves in the plane of the board, therefore any figure, both its own and the enemy, standing on the field next to the horse, vertically or horizontally, blocks its movement in this direction.

Elephant

Elephants in the initial arrangement are placed on the first horizontal, to the right and left of the guards, or one vertical further from them.

The course of the elephant in changi is completely original. It is a “lengthened” knight's move: an elephant walks one cell vertically or horizontally, and then straight along two diagonals to the right or left from the direction of the first movement. Like a knight, an elephant is a linear figure, moves in the plane of the board, therefore any figure, either own or enemy, standing at one of its intermediate points of movement, blocks the corresponding turn.

Unlike the Xiangqi, where elephants are intended solely for defense and cannot go beyond their half of the board (to cross the river), they can freely operate across the board in the changi.

Chariot

In the initial placement of the chariot are located on the corner fields of the board. The chariot is an analogue of the figure of the same name of the Xiangqi or chess rook. It goes to any distance vertically or horizontally, moving only in a straight line within one turn. In addition, within the palace, the chariot can move along marked diagonals, also only in a straight line.

Cannon

A cannon can walk and beat the opponent’s pieces only by jumping over its own or someone else’s piece. The usual (without taking) the movement of the gun is done vertically or horizontally, in the direction where there is a figure, behind which there is one or more free point. The gun during the course jumps over this figure and is placed on any free field behind it. There must be exactly one figure between the initial and final field of movement of the gun. If there are no more figures or not at all, the course is not allowed.

A cannon can take (beat) an enemy figure standing on the same vertical or horizontal axis behind any of its own or enemy figures. When taking a gun, as in the normal course, jumps over the figure standing between the initial and final field and is put in place of the taken figure. To capture, it is necessary that there is exactly one figure between the cannon and the figure to be taken (no matter what color). Accordingly, the gun threatens all fields located on the same vertical or horizontal with it, after any of his or the enemy figure. In order to protect the figure from the threat of the enemy's gun, you can, besides the obvious actions (beat the gun or remove your figure from the threat), remove the figure through which the gun must jump upon impact, or enter another figure between the gun and the protected figure figures cannon can not. Two figures of its color, standing side by side on the same vertical or horizontal with a gun, are an insurmountable obstacle for it - the gun cannot jump over two figures, but you cannot beat your figures.

Within the palace, the cannon can move and strike along the marked diagonals, observing all the other rules. That is, in order to go along the diagonal of the palace, the gun must stand at the corner point, at the center point there must be some figure, and the empty field to which the move is made, or the opponent’s figure to be beaten, must stand at the opposite corner the palace. When moving through the palace on the verticals and horizontals gun walks in the same way as on any other part of the board.

The gun can not jump over his or someone else's gun and can not beat the enemy's gun. In addition, it is forbidden to make the first move in the game with a gun.

Cannon - a figure with variable power. At the initial stage of the game, while there are many pieces on the board through which the gun can jump, it is a very strong and mobile piece. As the figures are dropping out of the game, the cannons have less and less opportunity to walk and beat the opponent's figures - their power decreases.

Soldier

A soldier goes one square forward, right or left. In addition, within the enemy's palace, he can walk along the marked diagonals, one square per turn, but only forward. The soldier, unlike a chess pawn, beats the same way as he walks. A soldier who has reached the last horizontal of the board can only move sideways.

Stroke Order

The first go green, then the moves are made in turn. If a player cannot make a single move according to the rules, he misses his turn, but if any move is possible, he cannot refuse his turn. Prohibited moves that put his general under attack (that is, on the field, which is threatened by the figure of the enemy).

Completion Party

As in most chess games, the game ends if one of the players managed to checkmate the other’s general, that is, to create a position when the opponent’s general is under combat and the opponent cannot, in his own turn, cover him or take him out of the blow. If both players do not have enough pieces left to be able to checkmate, a draw is fixed.

Due to the presence of the rule of skipping the move, a stalemate in changi is not possible - a player who is unable to walk will simply miss the move. In the extremely rare case of a mutual stalemate (when none of the players has a single move by the rules) - a draw is declared.

A draw is also awarded if, after the player’s move, the generals are facing each other (each in his own palace), there are no figures between them, and the second player (who has his turn to go) cannot lead his general away from the confrontation or enter between the generals some of his figure.

There is also a rule of a forced draw: if one of the players on his own hand caused a confrontation of generals (as in the previous case), but the opponent has permissible moves, then the opponent can, by choice, either interrupt the confrontation or declare a draw. This rule allows in some cases to save a hopeless game: a player can declare a draw if, as a result of a move interrupting the opposition of the generals, he would suffer substantial losses. The rule of a forced draw is not generally accepted, and applies only when the players have agreed to follow it before the start of the game.

In official tournaments, rules that exclude the possibility of a draw apply. To do this, when a draw is drawn, a score is calculated. Points are awarded for those pieces that were left on the board at the time of the end of the game:

• Chariot - 13 points
• Gun - 7 points
• Horse - 5 points
• Elephant - 3 points
• Guard - 3 points
• Soldier - 2 points

In addition, the player with red receives 1.5 points of compensation for the fact that the greens went first. According to the results of the calculation, the one who has more points is declared the winner. The uncommitted amount of compensation for the first move leads to the fact that equality of the number of points is impossible, therefore, there are no tournament draws in official games.

In view of the obvious resemblance of Changi with Chinese Xiangqi chess, it makes sense to highlight the differences in the rules of these games.

• The changi board has no river , which in Xiangqi limits the movement of elephants. All figures, except generals and guards, can walk across the board.
• In the initial set-up, the general stands at the intersection of the middle vertical and the second horizontal from the player (in xiangqi, the general stands on the first horizontal).
• Players can swap elephants and horses in the initial arrangement.
• The moves of the figures differ:
  • The general walks along verticals, horizontals, and marked palace diagonals (in syantsi, only along verticals and horizontals).
  • The guards walk along the verticals, horizontals and marked diagonals of the palace (in Xiangqi - only along the diagonals).
  • The bishop's move is similar to the knight's move - before moving two diagonally across the diagonal, the elephant moves one square vertically or horizontally (the elephant simply goes two diagonally to the Xiangqi).
  • The cannon moves by jumping through another figure, regardless of whether the opponent’s figure is taken or not (in Xiangqi, the cannon hits, jumping through the figure, but makes a quiet move similarly to a chariot).
  • A soldier can go forward, right or left on the entire board (in Xiangqi, moves to the side are allowed only across the river).
• All figures that walk in verticals and horizontals, once in the palace, can also walk, observing the basic principles of their movement, along the marked diagonals of the palace. In Xiangqi there is no such rule.
• A move is allowed, causing a confrontation of generals in the absence of figures between them.
• There is a rule of forced draw in the confrontation of generals.
• Rule skip course.

• Shogi
• Xiangqi

• Changi Rules