Xiangqi with various new pieces
This article is about a collection of various Xianqi based games created by Vitya Makov. These games (with the exception of modern Xiangqi) add an extra heavy piece in the mix with the goal of making the game more attacking. The first game invented was dragon Xiangqi, then sparrow Xiangqi, archer Xiangqi, then modern Xiangqi (which features two vaos, and replaces elephants with warmachines), and finally maorider Xiangqi, which features the maorider piece initially invented by the author for maorider chess. To these Florea Aurelian has added diplomat Xiangqi which adds a diplomat to the normal Xiangqi mix.
Setup
files=9 ranks=10 promoZone=5 promoChoice=Q graphicsDir=/graphics.dir/alfaeriePNG/ whitePrefix=w blackPrefix=b graphicsType=png squareSize=52 lightShade= darkShade= background=/play/pbm/backgrounds/chinese-cambaluc-green-beige.png useMarkers=1 borders=0 symmetry=mirror royal=8 pawn::fW::a4,c4,e4,g4,i4 pawn (passed):Q:fsW:pawn: advisor::F:ferz:d1,f1 morph=!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!!!...!!!/"/" elephant::afF::c1,g1 morph=!/!/!/!/!/././././. horse::afsW:horse:b1,h1 cannon::::b3,h3 rook::::a1,i1 king::WfkR::e1 set=Dragon dragon:D:afsWF:dragon:e2 set=Sparrow sparrow:S:afsWafF:bird2:e2 set=Archer archer:A:afsWafW:archer:e2 set=Modern vao:V:mBpcB:vao:e2,e3 warmachine:W:nD:warmachine:c1,g1 morph=!/!/!/!/!/././././. set=Maorider maorider:M:afz(afzafz)W:pegasus:e2 set=Diplomat Diplomat:D:afsFW:diplomat:e2
Pieces
The usual xiangqi pieces are present in all of these games with the exception of modern xiangqi where the elephants are replaced by warmachines:
The royal wazir is the royal piece of the game. It moves and captures one square orthogonally and it cannot leave the palace.
The rook/chariot is the usual piece from xiangqi and orthodox chess.
The cannon/pao moves like a rook but must jump over a piece named platform in order to capture.
The horse/mao moves one step orthogonally, and cannot stop there, and then towards outside one diagonally. So it ends up on the squares where a orthodox knight would end up, but it can be blocked by and orthogonally adjacent piece.
The pawn/soldier moves and captures one square ahead in the home half of the board. After passing the river it can also move and capture one square sideways.
The elephant moves two squares diagonally and can be blocked by pieces diagonally adjacent. The elephant cannot cross the river.
The guard/ferz moves one square diagonally and it cannot exit the palace.
Each game has a specific piece that is added to normal mix of pieces. They are:
The dragon is a horse and ferz compound.
The sparrow is a horse and lame alfil compound.
The archer is a horse and lame dabbaba compound.
The vao is the diagonal counterpart of the pao, ie it moves like a bishop but must jump over a piece, called platform, in order to capture.
The war machine moves twice orthogonally and may be blocked at the first square. Cannot cross the river. Replaces the elephant.
The maorider is a horse that may move consecutive time in the same direction.
The diplomat is a moa (like the horse but it is blocked diagonally rather that orthogonally) and wazir compound.
Rules
The rules of Xiangqi apply unless specified otherwise.
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Author: Aurelian Florea. Inventor: Vitya Makov and Aurelian Florea.
Last revised by Aurelian Florea.
Web page created: 2025-04-15. Web page last updated: 2025-04-30