Games & Puzzles
Xiangqi
Chess with a river down the middle, and a cannon that captures by jumping
The game called Chinese chess: pieces sit on the intersections of a grid, a river splits the board, and each general is confined to a nine-point palace. Three rules do the work: a cannon captures only by jumping one piece, a horse can be blocked at the leg, and the generals may never face each other down an open file. Contact comes sooner than in chess. Sets are cheap.
First stepPlay five games on a board or online, and fix three rules in your head: the cannon's jump, the blocked horse and the generals who may not face each other.
Barriers
Cost to start
Under $50
Going deep → $300–2k
Alone or with people
Anyone will do
Effort
Sitting
Without a teacher?
Self-taught
One session takes
1–2 hours
Where
At home
Why people take it up
Skills
BuildsMemorising patterns and lines