下象棋的目标,跟围棋及西洋棋一样,是要攻占对手的帅将﹙帅将会视为被攻杀若下一步已无法把它营救﹚。造成对方困局的一方将被视为胜出。
与西洋棋不同,下象棋时当棋子欠行到达平手,只要仍可迫令对手无法在合理情况下走动,而使对方形成困局也可视为胜利。象棋同时像日本围棋,但不像西洋棋,棋子是按交义线行走而非只按棋盘的方形线走动。除此之外,棋手亦可因为对手认输或超出时限而视为胜出。
象棋先行棋一方比西洋棋有更大的赢棋可能性,有时会出现双将,甚至三将四将。
在中国有很多西洋棋爱好者亦十分热爱象棋;棋王许君(Xu Jun)及邺江川(Ye Jiang Chuang)亦同时为象棋爱好者。当然,最出名的例子是前世界女子棋王锦标赛得主谢君(Xie Jun),便曾经是北京青少年象棋冠军。
最常见的开棋局是炮局,红方(即先走动一方)将炮移到中线,然后攻击黑方的中卒;理论上,这样的开局让红方有较长时间采取攻势。
棋盘
象棋盘由九道直线和十道横线交叉组成。棋盘中间没有划通直线的地方,叫做“河界”; 两个“九宫”分别位于棋盘的正对面尽处位置。每一个九宫均以划有斜交叉线连接着四个对角角位。

棋子
每一个参赛者拥有以下棋子﹕
| 车2个 | R | (或车) |
| 马2个 | N | (或马) |
| 象2只 | M | (或相) |
| 士2个 | G | (或士) |
| 将1个 | K | (或帅) |
| 炮2只 | C | |
| 卒5只 | P | (或兵) |
象棋列阵如下﹕
中国象棋/ 国际象棋
中国象棋棋子的分布是红方在下,黑方在上。由左至右,底至顶行,您会看到﹕车、马、相、仕、帅、仕、相、马及车。排列于于第三行的是炮、而兵则位于第四行。
| 中国象棋 | 走棋 | 国际象棋 |
|---|---|---|
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车 车每一着跟传统车的走法一样。(详情请看「车」) |
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马 马每一着走一直一斜;如果在一直线的地方有别的棋子时,则不能走过。(详情请看「马」) |
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相/象 相/象每一着斜行两步,若斜行线中有别的棋子则不能越过,而且只限在己方地盘活动;因此,相/象只可看到棋盘七点。(详情请看「象」)【红方与黑方以不同字代表相/象,但走法却是一样】 |
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士 士亦只限在己方地盘活动,只准走一步并须沿斜线斜行。【红方与黑方以不同字代表士,但走法却是一样】 |
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将或帅 将每一着跟传统将的走法一样,但不可斜走,而且活动范围只限在九宫之内(详情请看「将」)【红方与黑方以不同字代表将,但走法却是一样】 将与帅在同一直线上不准直接相对,例如帅在e1,而将在e9,中间没有棋子相隔便属犯规;如一方已先占据,另一方必须回避。 |
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炮 炮吃对方棋子时的走法与一般走着不同。 1. 炮之走法与车相同; 2. 唯炮在吃对方棋子时,像车一样,其所行的直线当中必须有另一只棋子; 意思是说炮必须跳过一只棋子方可吃另一只棋子,例如炮位处a1时,只要在b1、c1、d1或e1有其中一方的棋子在,便可吃在f1的棋子。炮只会在吃棋子时才会跳跃,但一跳不可跨越超过一只棋子。(详情请看「炮」) |
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卒 与传统不同,中国象棋卒吃棋子与否的走法都是相同的;每着只限行一步,未过河界时,只能直行,过河界后,横直行均可,但不能后退。(详情请看中国象棋的「炮」)【红方与黑方以不同字代表卒,但走法却是一样】 |
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其它规则
| 一般术语 | General Terms |
|---|---|
| 象棋 | xiangqi |
| 棋盘 | board |
| 棋子 | piece |
| 棋例 | xiangqi rules |
| 棋证 | arbiter, referee, judge |
| 计时 | time control |
| 限着 | move count |
| 封棋, 保留 | adjourn, adjournment |
| 暂停 | break |
| 超时 | lost on time |
| 评注 | commentary, annotation |
| 复盘 | review, play back, post-mortem analysis |
| 对局记录 | record (of game) |
| 先走 | move first, play red |
| 后走 | move next, play black |
| 开局 | opening |
| 应局 | responding |
| 中局 | middle game, mid game |
| 残局 | end game |
| 排局 | composed game, end game composition |
| 实用残局 | practical end game |
| 胜局 | winning game, won game |
| 死局 | lost game, forced mate |
| 认输 | resign |
| 弃权 | retire |
| 例胜 | won position |
| 例和 | draw position |
| 判和 | judged draw |
| 巧胜 | positional win |
| 巧和 | positional draw |
| 欠行 | stalemate |
| 正着, 官着 | right move, correct move |
| 妙着 | excellent move |
| 紧着 | strong move, pressing move |
| 阴着 | tricky move |
| 软着 | weak move |
| 虚着 | plausible move |
| 空着 | useless move |
| 劣着 | bad move |
| 漏着 | blunder |
| 大漏 | big blunder |
| 棋谱着法 | text move |
| 闲着 | idle move |
| 停着 | waiting move |
| 诱着 | tempting move, inducing move |
| 变着 | alternative, variation |
| 先手 | initiative |
| 得先, 反先 | gain initiative |
| 失先, 失一先 | lose initiative, lose a tempo |
| 后手, 被动 | passive |
| 优势 | advantage, superior |
| 劣势 | disadvantage, inferior, awkward position |
| 均势 | even positions |
| 局势, 局面 | position, situation |
| 将 | check |
| 捉 | chase, pursue |
| 杀, 催杀 | mate, mating threat |
| 解杀 | dissolve mating |
| 循环 | repetition of position |
| 兑 | exchange, trade |
| 拦 | block |
| 跟 | follow |
| 闲, 停 | wait |
| 封锁 | seal off, blockade |
| 进 | move forwards, advance |
| 退 | move backwards, retreat |
| 平 | move sideways, traverse |
| 吃子 | capture piece |
| 得子 | gain piece |
| 失子 | lose piece |
| 兑子 | exchange piece |
| 弃子 | sacrifice piece |
| 长将 | perpetual check |
| 长捉 | perpetual chase, perpetual pursuit |
| 长兑 | perpetual exchange offer |
| 长杀 | perpetual mating threat |
| 长拦 | perpetual blocking |
| 长跟 | perpetual follow |
| 一将一停 | check & wait |
| 一将一捉 | check & chase |
| 一将一杀 | check & mating |
| 一杀一停 | mating & wait |
| 一杀一捉 | mating & chase |
| 一捉一停 | chase & wait |
| 捉双 | fork, attacking two pieces |
| 有根 | rooted, protected |
| 无根 | unrooted, unprotected |
| 兵种 | piece-kind |
| 搏杀 | combat, wrestle, sharp attacking each other |
| 攻势 | attack |
| 反攻 | counter attack |
| 入局 | mating assault |
| 空门 | undefended sector, weak sector |
| 分先 | play at par |
| 让一先 | 1-move handicap |
| 让长先 | perpetual 1-move handicap |
| 让二先 | 2-move handicap |
| 让三先 | 3-move handicap |
| 让单马 | 1-horse handicap |
| 让双马 | 2-horse handicap |
| 平稳局势 | calm game, secured position |
| 散漫局势 | disorderly position, scattered position |
| 可胜形势 | winning position |
| 子力活跃 | active pieces |
| 子力呆滞 | passive pieces |
| 后继手段 | combination moves |
| 尚可支持 | tenable situation |
| 位置名称 | Descriptions of positions |
|---|---|
| 直线 | file |
| 横线 | rank |
| 河头 | river bank (RB) |
| 骑河 | cross-river (CR) |
| 卒行 | pawn rank (PR) |
| 己方底线 | base, 1st rank |
| 对方底线 | bottom rank |
| 炮位线 | cannon rank |
| 中士线 | throat rank |
| 中线, 中路 | central file |
| 边线 | edge files |
| 三七路 | elbow files |
| 四六路 | armpit files |
| 一路 | 1st file |
| 二路 | 2nd file |
| 三路 | 3rd file |
| 四路 | 4th file |
| 五路 | 5th file |
| 六路 | 6th file |
| 七路 | 7th file |
| 八路 | 8th file |
| 九路 | 9th file |
| 花心 | centroid, throat |
| 士角 | palace corner, palcorner |
| 象眼, 象田 | elephant-eye (E-eye) |
| 车的术语 | Terms related to Chariot |
|---|---|
| 直车 | filed chariot |
| 横车 | ranked chariot |
| 中车 | central chariot |
| 河头车, 巡河车 | river bank chariot, (RB chariot), Patrolling chariot |
| 骑河车 | cross river chariot (CR chariot) |
| 卒行车 | pawn rank chariot (PR chariot) |
| 贴身车 | armpit chariot, king side chariot |
| 肋车 | E-eye chariot |
| 边车 | edge chariot |
| 沉底车 | bottom chariot |
| 底车(已方底线) | base chariot |
| 高头车 | high chariot |
| 低头车 | low chariot |
| 重线车 | linked chariots |
| 守丧车 | boxed chariot |
| 炮的术语 | Terms related to Cannon |
|---|---|
| 中炮, 中官炮 | central cannon |
| 边炮 | edge cannon |
| 士角炮 | palcorner cannon |
| 巡河炮 | RB cannon, patrolling cannon |
| 骑河炮 | CR cannon |
| 卒行炮 | PR cannon |
| 沉底炮 | bottom cannon |
| 竿炮 | linked cannons |
| 空头炮 | exposed cannon |
| 窝心炮 | centroid cannon |
| 镇中炮 | central pinning cannon |
| 三路炮 | 3rd file cannon, 3rd cannon |
| 七路炮 | 7th file cannon, 7th cannon |
| 炮归家 | home rank cannon, homing cannon |
| 冷巷炮 | corridor cannon, alley cannon |
| 马的术语 | Terms related to Horse |
|---|---|
| 屏风马 | screen horses |
| 单提马 | single horse |
| 反攻马 | sandwich horses |
| 穿官马 | E-eye horse |
| 钓鱼马 | angler horse (attack) |
| 卧槽马 | elbow horse (attack) |
| 士角马 | palcorner horse |
| 归心马 | centroid horse |
| 河头马 | RB horse |
| 边马 | edge horse |
| 绊脚马 | lame horse |
| 连环马 | linked horses |
| 兵卒的术语 | Terms related to Pawn |
|---|---|
| 中兵 | central pawn |
| 边兵 | edge pawn |
| 一路边兵 | right edge pawn |
| 九路边兵 | left edge pawn |
| 三路兵 | right elbow pawn, 3rd pawn |
| 七兵 | left elbow pawn, 7th pawn |
| 高兵 | high pawn |
| 低兵 | low pawn (at throat rank) |
| 底兵 | bottom pawn |
| 过河兵 | promoted pawn |
| 兄弟兵 | linked pawns |
| 对头兵 | opposing pawns |
| 花心兵 | centroid pawn |
| 咽喉兵 | E-eye pawn |
| 帅将的术语 | Terms related to King |
|---|---|
| 中帅 | central king |
| 侧帅 | king at side, palside king |
| 露帅 | exposed king |
| 出帅 | king out |
| 帅坐上 | king up |
| 帅坐下 | king down |
| 山顶帅 | king at peak, roof king |
| 光帅 | naked king |
| 士象的术语 | Terms related to Adviser and Elephant |
|---|---|
| 士象全 | full guard |
| 单缺士 | single adviser guard |
| 单缺象 | single elephant guard |
| 半边士象 | half guard |
| 底象 | base elephant |
| 边象 | edge elephant |
| 顶象 | top elephant |
| 左象 | left elephant |
| 右象 | right elephant |
| 中象 | central elephant |
| 左士 | left adviser |
| 右士 | right adviser |
| 中士 | centroid adviser |
| 底士 | base adviser |
| 顶士 | palcorner adviser |
| 羊角士 | palcorner & centroid advisers, ram horn advisers |
| 攻杀局势 | Checkmate / Attacking positions |
|---|---|
| 二字车 | 2-R checkmate |
| 三把手 | 3-R checkmate |
| 勒马车 | horse braking chariot checkmate |
| 四车相见 | 4-r rendezvous |
| 炮闷宫 | cannon smothered checkmate |
| 双杯 酒 | double cannons smothered mate |
| 重炮将军 | double cannons checkmate, tandem cannons checkmate |
| 丝线掏牛 | pinning cannon |
| 车炮抽扯 | cannon-chariot discover check |
| 炮辗丹沙 | chariot-cannon discover check |
| 双马饮泉 | double horses checkmate |
| 马后炮 | horse-cannon checkmate |
| 侧面虎 | tiger silhouette |
| 车马冷着 | chariot-horse checkmate, chariot-horse zugzwang |
| 大胆穿心 | throat cutting checkmate |
| 将军抽子 | capture with discover check |
| 三子归边 | 3-piece at side, flanking trio |
| 四子归边 | 4-piece at side, flanking quartet |
| 弃子抢攻 | sacrifice for attacking, assaulting sacrifice |
| 运子取势 | deployment for advantage |
| 先弃后取 | abandoning before gaining |
| 兑子争先 | exchange for initiative |
| 解杀还杀 | counter mating |
| 红方开局 | Red's Openings |
|---|---|
| 中炮局 | central cannon opening |
| 士角炮局 | palcorner cannon opening |
| 过宫炮局 | cross palace cannon opening, parading cannon opening |
| 仙人指路 | pawn opening, angel's guide |
| 飞象局 | elephant opening |
| 进马局 | horse opening |
| 中炮进三兵 | central cannon 3rd pawn |
| 中炮进七兵 | central cannon 7th pawn |
| 中炮进中兵 | central cannon central pawn |
| 中炮过河车 | central cannon pr chariot |
| 中炮巡河车 | central cannon patrolling chariot |
| 中炮七路马 | central cannon 7th horse |
| 中炮夹马 | central cannon linking horses |
| 中炮直车 | central cannon file chariot |
| 中炮横车 | central cannon rank chariot |
| 五六炮 | 5th & 6th cannons |
| 五七炮 | 5th & 7th cannons |
| 五八炮 | 5th & 8th cannons |
| 五九炮 | 5th & 9th cannons |
| 黑方开局 | Black's Openings |
|---|---|
| 屏风马布局 | screen horses defence, 2-horse defence |
| 反攻马布局 | sandwich horses defence |
| 单提马布局 | single horse defence |
| 炮局 | folding cannons defence, tandem cannons defence |
| 卒底局 | elbow cannon defence, thundering defence |
| 三步虎 | 3-step tiger defence |
| 斗顺炮 | same direction (sd) cannon, mirror cannon defence |
| 斗列炮 | opposite direction (od) cannon, counter cannon defence |
| 屏风马平炮兑车 | screen horses edge cannon for chariot exchange |
| 屏风马双炮过河 | screen horses double pr cannons |
| 屏风马左马盘河 | screen horses with rb horse |
| 屏风马左炮封车 | screen horses with left cannon blockade |
| 双方布局 | Opening deployment of both sides |
|---|---|
| 对兵局 | pawn vs pawn opening |
| 对马局 | horse vs horse opening |
| 顺炮局 | sd cannons opening |
| 列炮局 | od cannons opening |
| 仙人指路对卒底炮 | pawn vs elbow cannon opening, angel's guide vs thundering defence |
| 中炮进三兵对反宫马 | central canon 3rd pawn vs sandwich horses |
| 中炮进七兵过河车对屏风马平炮兑车局 | central cannon 7th pawn pr chariot vs screen horses edge cannon for chariot exchange |
