Janggi

Janggi is a board game from Korea.

Two players use red and blue pieces. Each side has a leader called a general. The general stays inside a special palace.

Some pieces move in straight lines. Others jump over other pieces. Cannons are strong because they jump.

Players must protect their general. If a general is caught, the game ends. You win by catching the other leader.

People play this game in city parks. It is a game of skill and thought.

Janggi is a strategy game from the Korean Peninsula.

Two players compete using red and blue pieces. The game is played on a large board. It has nine vertical lines and ten horizontal rows.

Each side has a leader called a general. The general must stay inside a palace. This palace is a small area with diagonal lines. The general moves one step at a time. Guards help protect the general. They also stay inside the palace.

Other pieces have special moves. Chariots move in straight lines. They are the most powerful pieces. Horses move in an L-shape. They cannot jump over other pieces. Elephants move in a large pattern. They can move across the whole board.

Cannons are very unique. They must jump over one piece to move or capture. Soldiers move one step at a time. They can move forward or sideways.

To win, you must catch the enemy general. This is called checkmate. In some tournaments, players count points to find a winner. Red pieces get a small point bonus to keep things fair. People often play Janggi in city parks. It is a fun way to test your skill.

Janggi is a famous strategy board game from the Korean Peninsula.

It is a game of skill and deep thinking. Players compete using two different colors of pieces. One side uses Red pieces. The other side uses Blue or Green pieces.

The game is very similar to Chinese chess, called xiangqi. However, the janggi board has no "river" dividing the middle. This change makes the game feel different. People love playing it to test their wits.

The game is played on a board with 90 intersections. These come from 9 vertical lines and 10 horizontal rows.

Each player has a palace at their side. The palace is a 3x3 area with diagonal lines. The leader, or general, must stay inside this palace.

Guards also stay in the palace to protect the leader. Other pieces move across the whole board. Chariots are the most powerful pieces and move in straight lines. Horses move in a specific L-shape pattern. Elephants move in a large, wide pattern.

Cannons are unique because they must jump over one piece to move. Soldiers move one step at a time, either forward or sideways.

Janggi has a long history tied to ancient stories. The generals represent two rival states named Han and Chu. These states fought for power a long time ago. In the red pieces, the characters use a regular script. The blue pieces use a cursive script.

In North Korea, the names for the generals are slightly different. There, the red general is called jang and the blue is gwan. These names reflect how different people view the game's history.

There are many specific rules for playing in tournaments. In South Korean tournaments, the game must have a winner. If a position repeats three times, a referee helps. The referee may ask a player to make a new move.

This ensures the game does not go on forever. Players can also win by counting points if no one can win by checkmate. Red pieces start with 73.5 points. Blue pieces start with 72 points. This extra 1.5 points for Red helps balance the game because Blue moves first.

You might see janggi being played in many places today. In Seoul, older men often gather in city parks to play.

They might play for small amounts of money. While it is less popular than the game baduk, it remains a special part of culture. It is a way for people to gather and share a challenge. Whether in a park or a tournament, the game is a lively test of mind.

Janggi is a traditional strategy board game from the Korean Peninsula.

It is a game of deep tactical planning and skill. Players compete using two sets of pieces. One side uses Red pieces, while the other uses Blue or Green pieces. The game is closely related to the Chinese game xiangqi. Both games use a 9x10 grid of intersections. However, janggi does not have a "river" dividing the board in the middle. This absence of a central river changes how pieces move across the board.

The game board consists of 90 intersections. These are formed by 9 vertical files and 10 horizontal rows. Each player has a palace located on their side of the board. This palace is a 3x3 area containing nine specific positions. Inside the palace, four diagonal lines form an "X" shape. The pieces are octagonal disks marked with Hanja, which are Chinese characters. Red pieces use a regular script for these characters. Blue or Green pieces use a cursive script instead.

The most important piece is the general, or janggun. In the standard setup, the Red general represents the state of Han. The Blue general represents the state of Chu. These names refer to the Chu–Han contention, a period of power struggles in ancient China. In North Korea, the names differ. The Red general is called jang, and the Blue general is called gwan. The general must stay inside the palace at all times. If the general is checkmated, the game ends immediately.

Other pieces have very specific movement rules. The guards, or sa, act as assistants to the general. They are restricted to moving only within the palace. The horse, or ma, moves one step orthogonally and then one step diagonally. It cannot jump over other pieces. The elephant, or sang, moves one step orthogonally and then two steps diagonally. Like the horse, the elephant can be blocked by intervening pieces. Chariots, or cha, are the most powerful pieces. They move in straight lines horizontally, vertically, or along palace diagonals. Cannons, or po, are unique because they must jump over exactly one piece to move or capture. Finally, soldiers move one step at a time. Red soldiers are called byeong, and Blue soldiers are called jol.

Setting up the game involves careful strategy. In tournaments, the higher-ranked player hides a soldier in their hand. The opponent chooses a hand to decide their color. This determines if they will be Red or Blue. Players then place their pieces in one of several possible setups. These setups are named after the position of the elephant. Players can also swap the positions of the horse and elephant during setup. This provides a strategic advantage to the player who places their pieces last. After the setup is complete, the Blue side moves first.

Tournament rules in South Korea are very strict. A game ends when a general is checkmated, which is called weh-tong. Unlike Western chess, stalemate does not end the game. If a player has no legal moves, they must simply pass their turn. If both players pass, the game is a draw. Some players use a rule called bikjang to force a draw. This happens when generals face each other without obstruction. In South Korean tournaments, referees prevent games from lasting forever. If a position repeats three times, the referee may order a player to change their move.

To ensure fairness, the game uses a point system. Each piece has a specific value. Chariots are worth 13 points, and cannons are worth 7 points. Horses are worth 5 points, while elephants and guards are worth 3 points each. Soldiers are worth 2 points. Because Blue moves first, they have an advantage. To balance this, Red receives 1.5 extra points, known as deom. This means Red starts with 73.5 points and Blue starts with 72. If no one can force a checkmate, the player with the most points wins. This complex system of points and rules makes janggi a deeply competitive and respected pursuit.