How to play Janggi (Korean chess)
- 1Janggi is played on the intersections of a board nine files wide and ten ranks deep. Each side has a General, two Guards, two Elephants, two Horses, two Chariots, two Cannons and five Soldiers. Cho (楚, green) moves first.
- 2The General and both Guards may never leave the 3×3 palace at their end of the board. They move one point at a time along the marked lines, including the palace diagonals.
- 3The Chariot (車) moves any distance in a straight line, like a rook, and may additionally slide along the palace diagonal lines.
- 4The Horse (馬) moves one point orthogonally then one point diagonally outward, and is blocked if the orthogonal step is occupied. The Elephant (象) moves one point orthogonally then two points diagonally outward, and is blocked at either of the first two squares of its path.
- 5The Cannon (包) must jump exactly one piece — the "screen" — to move or capture, and the screen may be either colour. A cannon may never jump over another cannon, and may never capture a cannon.
- 6Soldiers (卒/兵) move one point forward or sideways, never backward. Inside the enemy palace they may also use the diagonal lines when moving forward.
- 7A player may pass instead of moving. This is legal and sometimes correct — but you may not pass while in check.
- 8If the two Generals end up facing each other down an open file with nothing between them, the game is an immediate draw. This is called bikjang (빅장).
- 9You win by checkmating the enemy General. There is no stalemate, because passing is always available when you are not in check.
Janggi strategy guide
Cannons are the sharpest pieces on the board
Because a cannon needs a screen, its power depends entirely on the arrangement of other pieces. Placing a cannon behind your own soldier gives it reach; removing the screen turns it off. Watch for enemy cannons lining up on your palace — a cannon on the central file with a screen is the most common source of sudden mate.
The palace is a trap as well as a shelter
Your General cannot run. Every attacking piece that reaches the palace diagonals is worth several times what it would be elsewhere. Keep both Guards home in the early game, and be very careful about opening the file in front of your General.
Chariots decide most games
The Chariot is worth roughly twice a Cannon and far more than a Horse. Trading a Chariot for anything less is almost always bad. Getting a Chariot onto an open file, especially one aimed at the enemy palace, is the standard plan.
Choose your opening setup deliberately
Before the game begins, each side may swap the positions of their Horses and Elephants. Elephants inside gives a solid, defensive structure; elephants outside frees the Horses to develop toward the centre quickly. Pick a setup that fits the game you want to play — and notice which one your opponent chose.
Remember that passing is a move
Players coming from international chess routinely forget this. In a locked position, passing can force the opponent to commit first, and in a lost endgame it can hold a draw. Bikjang is also a legitimate defensive resource when you are behind.
The history of Janggi
Janggi and Chinese xiangqi share a common ancestor in the Indian game chaturanga, which travelled east along the Silk Road and reached the Korean peninsula roughly a thousand years ago. Korean records mention board games of this family from the Goryeo period onward, and the modern rule set had largely settled by the Joseon dynasty.
The Korean game diverged from xiangqi in several decisive ways. Janggi has no river, so Elephants and Soldiers cross freely; the Generals sit inside the palace rather than on its back edge; Soldiers can move sideways from the very first move; and the Cannon rules are stricter, forbidding cannon-takes-cannon entirely. The result is a faster, more tactical game with fewer long manoeuvring phases.
The two sides are marked 漢 (Han) and 楚 (Cho), naming the Chu–Han contention of the 3rd century BCE — the same historical conflict that gives xiangqi its 楚河漢界 river. Janggi remains widely played in Korea, in parks and community centres as much as in clubs, and has an active professional scene with televised matches.
Janggi FAQ
- How is Janggi different from Chinese chess (xiangqi)?
- Janggi has no river, so Elephants and Soldiers can cross the whole board. Soldiers move sideways immediately rather than only after crossing. The General sits in the middle of the palace at the start. Cannons cannot capture other cannons. And passing is legal in Janggi but not in xiangqi.
- Can I really just pass my turn?
- Yes, as long as you are not in check. Passing is a normal part of Janggi strategy, particularly in blocked positions and endgames where whoever moves first loses ground.
- What is bikjang?
- Bikjang is the position where both Generals face each other along a file with no piece in between. Under standard modern rules the game is immediately drawn. It is a genuine defensive resource for the losing side.
- Why can’t my cannon move at the start of the game?
- A cannon must jump exactly one piece to move at all. If there is no screen in its line, it simply has no legal move in that direction. Cannons also can never jump over or capture another cannon.
- What does choosing the opening setup do?
- Each side may arrange their Horses and Elephants in one of four ways before play begins. Inner elephants is compact and defensive; outer elephants gives the Horses freer central development. Both are fully playable and the choice is a matter of style.