🎮 What is Janggi?
Janggi (Korean Chess) is a traditional Korean strategy board game where two players take turns moving pieces, aiming to capture or checkmate the opponent's King (General). Similar to Chinese Chess (Xiangqi) but with unique Korean rules, this game has thousands of years of history and combines deep strategy with exciting gameplay.
📋 Basic Rules
- Game Setup: Played on a 9×10 intersection board. Two sides: Cho (Red) and Han (Green), with Cho moving first. God Game Platform allows formation selection (Horse-Elephant, Elephant-Horse, etc.).
- Starting the Game: Cho moves first, and players alternate turns. Click a piece to select it, then click a valid destination to move.
- Victory Condition: Win by capturing the opponent's King or achieving checkmate (the King cannot escape capture). Victory is also achieved if the opponent resigns or runs out of time.
- Palace: Each side has a 3×3 Palace area. The King and Advisors can only move within the Palace and may move diagonally along palace lines.
- Draw: A draw occurs by mutual agreement, threefold repetition of position, or 50 moves without a capture.
♟️ Piece Guide
- King (General) 將/帥: The most important piece. Moves one step in any direction within the Palace. Losing the King means defeat.
- Advisor (Guard) 士: Protects the King. Moves exactly like the King, one step in any direction within the Palace.
- Chariot (Rook) 車: The most powerful piece. Moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically. Can also move diagonally within the Palace.
- Cannon 包: A unique piece. Must jump over exactly one piece to move or capture. Cannot jump over another Cannon.
- Horse (Knight) 馬: Moves one step orthogonally, then one step diagonally. Unlike chess, it CAN be blocked by pieces in its path.
- Elephant 象: Moves one step orthogonally, then two steps diagonally. Like the Horse, it can be blocked along its path.
- Soldier (Pawn) 卒/兵: Moves one step forward or sideways. Cannot move backward. Can move diagonally within the Palace.
💡 Key Strategies
- Control the Center: Dominate the center early. This expands your Chariots' and Cannons' range while limiting your opponent's space.
- Chariot Tactics: The Chariot is the strongest piece. Place it on open files and use it actively. Coordinated Chariot attacks are devastating.
- Cannon Tactics: Cannons need a piece to jump over, so positioning is crucial. They weaken in the endgame when fewer pieces remain.
- Protect the King: Keep Advisors near your King and watch for enemy Chariot and Cannon attacks. Avoid leaving open lines to your Palace.
- Formation Selection: Horse-outside formations are aggressive; Elephant-outside formations are defensive. Choose based on your play style.
🏆 Tips for Beginners
- Activate your Chariots first. A Chariot on an open file can dominate the game.
- Cannons always need a piece to jump over. Consider their utility when trading pieces.
- Horses and Elephants can be blocked. Always check if the path is clear.
- Don't expose your King too early. Protect it with Advisors and avoid open files.
- Always watch for checks. Learning checkmate patterns will improve your game.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What's the difference between Janggi and Chess?
A: Janggi uses a 9×10 board, Cannons must jump to move, and Horses/Elephants can be blocked. It also has a Palace area and formation selection at the start.
Q: Which formation should I choose?
A: Horse-outside formations (Ma-Sang-Ma-Sang) favor quick attacks, while Elephant-outside formations (Sang-Ma-Ma-Sang) are more defensive. Beginners often prefer Elephant-outside.
Q: How do the AI difficulty levels differ?
A: Easy plays basic defense only. Medium uses standard attack and defense strategies. Hard employs advanced tactics and pattern recognition, requiring significant skill to beat.
Q: How do I play online matches?
A: Click "Quick Match" to automatically find opponents of similar skill. You can also use "Create Room" to set up a private game with friends or join existing rooms from the room list.
Q: What is the fo score?
A: fo is God Game Platform's rating score. It increases with wins and decreases with losses. The amount of change depends on the skill difference between players. A higher fo score indicates greater skill.