Janggi rules and how to play
Janggi (장기), also called Korean chess, is a two-player strategy board game from Korea. The board has 9 by 10 lines, and each side, Cho (楚) and Han (漢), has 16 pieces that stand on the intersections. The goal is to checkmate the opponent's general, which never leaves its 3×3 palace. Unlike xiangqi (Chinese chess), janggi has no river, lets a player pass a turn, and decides games without checkmate by piece points, with a 1.5-point bonus for Han, who moves second.
The board and the palace
The board is 9 lines wide and 10 lines long, 90 points in total, with no river in the middle. Each side has a palace of 3×3 points with diagonal lines through its centre. Generals and guards stay inside their own palace; chariots, cannons and soldiers can also use the diagonal lines inside a palace.
The pieces and how they move
Cho's and Han's pieces move the same way. On Ttakji you can show them with Chinese characters (Hanja) or with pictures.
| Piece | Count | Movement | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 楚漢General (gung) | 1 | One step along any line of its palace, diagonals included. It never leaves the palace. | — (not counted) |
| 士Guard (sa) | 2 | Moves exactly like the general and also stays inside the palace. | 3 |
| 車Chariot (cha) | 2 | Any number of points in a straight line, without jumping. Inside a palace it can also move along the diagonal lines. | 13 |
| 包Cannon (po) | 2 | Moves along the chariot's lines but must jump over exactly one piece to move or to capture. It can never jump over or capture another cannon. | 7 |
| 馬Horse (ma) | 2 | One point straight, then one point diagonally outward. It is blocked if the first point is occupied. | 5 |
| 象Elephant (sang) | 2 | One point straight, then two points diagonally outward. It is blocked if any point on the way is occupied. | 3 |
| 卒兵Soldier (jol/byeong) | 5 | One point forward or sideways, never backward. Inside the enemy palace it can also step forward along a diagonal line. | 2 |
The four setups
Before the first move, each player chooses how to place the horses and elephants on their back row. Han chooses first; Cho sees Han's choice and then chooses. Then Cho makes the first move. Each name lists the pieces from the player's own left.
Horse–Elephant–Elephant–Horse (ma-sang-sang-ma)馬象象馬
Elephant–Horse–Elephant–Horse (sang-ma-sang-ma)象馬象馬
Horse–Elephant–Horse–Elephant (ma-sang-ma-sang)馬象馬象
Elephant–Horse–Horse–Elephant (sang-ma-ma-sang)象馬馬象
How to play, step by step
- Han chooses one of the four setups for its horses and elephants, then Cho chooses.
- Cho moves first. Players take turns moving one piece; landing on an enemy piece captures it.
- Move each piece by its own rule. Generals and guards stay inside their palace.
- A move that attacks the enemy general is check. A player in check must answer it at once.
- If you are not in check, you may pass instead of moving.
- Checkmate the enemy general to win. Otherwise the game ends on points after bikjang, a position repeated three times, two passes in a row, or 200 moves.
Check and checkmate
A move that attacks the enemy general is check, called janggun (장군). The player in check must remove the threat at once by moving the general, capturing the attacker or blocking it. A move that leaves your own general under attack is not allowed. A player in check with no way out is checkmated and loses.
Passing (hansu-swim)
If you are not in check, you may pass instead of moving; this is called hansu-swim (한수쉼). There is no stalemate: a player who is not in check and has no legal move simply passes. If both players pass one after the other, the game ends and is decided by points.
Bikjang (facing generals)
Bikjang (빅장) is when the two generals face each other on the same file with no piece between them. Once at least one piece has been captured, if a player creates bikjang and the opponent's next move or pass does not break it, the game ends and is decided by points. Checkmate always comes first.
Points and how a game ends
When a game ends without checkmate, each side adds up the pieces it still has on the board: chariot 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant 3, guard 3 and soldier 2 points. Han, who moves second, gets 1.5 extra points, so Cho starts with 72 and Han with 73.5, and a tie is impossible. The higher score wins.
- Checkmate: the player who checkmates wins.
- Bikjang that the opponent does not break: decided by points.
- The same position for the third time: decided by points, but a player who caused it by giving check on every move loses.
- Two passes in a row: decided by points.
- 200 moves in total (both players, passes included): decided by points.
Playing on Ttakji
- Against the AI there is no clock, and you can take back moves.
- You choose your setup before an AI game starts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Janggi on Ttakji free? Do I need an account?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser with nothing to install. Open the page and play against the AI right away; no account is needed.
How is Janggi different from xiangqi (Chinese chess)?
Both use a 9×10 board, but janggi has no river, several pieces use the diagonal lines of the palace, the cannon must jump over a piece to move and can never jump or capture another cannon, the elephant moves farther, players may pass, and games without checkmate are decided by points.
I can't read Chinese characters. Can I still play?
Yes. In the board settings you can switch from Hanja pieces to picture pieces, and Ttakji remembers your choice in this browser. The piece guide on this page lists every piece with its character and its name.
Which setup should I choose?
There is no wrong choice: all four setups are allowed, and they only swap the horses and elephants on each side, which changes which pieces come into play first. Han chooses first, so Cho can react to Han's setup.
Why does Han get 1.5 extra points?
Cho moves first, which is an advantage, so Han receives a 1.5-point bonus. It also makes ties impossible: when a game is decided by points, Cho starts at 72 and Han at 73.5.
Can I take back a move against the AI?
Yes. Against the AI you can undo moves and there is no clock, so you can practise at your own pace.