Janggi Rules

Starting position

The board is nine files by ten ranks, with no river. Cho sits at the bottom. This site uses the outer-elephant setup: the back rank, left to right, is chariot, horse, elephant, guard, empty, guard, elephant, horse, chariot. Each general starts in the palace center. Cannons sit in front of the horses, and soldiers occupy every other file on the fourth rank.

The general and guards stay inside their palace and may step along the painted X. Elephants are not stopped by a river, but either step of their one-then-two path can be blocked.

Pieces and moves

Chariots slide on open lines. Horses move like knights and can be blocked on the adjacent square. Elephants step one then two; both landings can be occupied. Guards step one square inside the palace, orthogonally or along the X. The general does the same, including the diagonal palace step.

Two pieces of the same color cannot share a square. Landing on an enemy is a capture if the move is otherwise legal. There is no castling, and soldiers do not promote.

Cannons and soldiers

A cannon must jump exactly one screen to move or capture. That screen cannot be a cannon, and a cannon cannot capture a cannon. On an empty file it cannot slide.

A soldier steps one square forward or sideways. It never retreats. Sideways steps are legal from the opening, with no river to cross. Captures use the same one-square step; there is no diagonal capture.

Winning and draws

Checkmate of the general wins. A player with no legal move loses. Two generals facing each other on an open file (bikjang) is legal and is not self-check. This site records a draw after about sixty full turns without a capture. Players in an online room may also agree to a draw.

Finishing a move

Check whether Cho or Han is shown in the turn indicator, then select a piece of that color. The board marks every legal destination, including enemies it may capture. Choose one marked square to finish the move. If no square is marked, that piece cannot move from its current position; select another one instead.

Illegal moves

You cannot walk the general onto an attacked square, slide a cannon without a screen, jump or capture with a cannon using another cannon, step an elephant over a block, retreat a soldier, move an opponent's piece, or leave your own general in check.

What changes by mode

Modes only change helpers and how the opponent connects. They do not change legal moves. For practice with cannon screens, palace steps, and bikjang, read Janggi tips.