Xiangqi chess set: Chinese Chess Sets & Chinese Chess Boards & Pieces

Chinese Chess is captivating and enjoyable! Like traditional chess, Chinese chess is very mentally demanding taxing all the mind powers of both contestants. Chinese chess has quickly become accepted in the Western world, both by Asians and Americans. For those of you that have never played Chinese chess, the symbols on each piece quickly become familiar. Chinese chess sets can be obtained from a number of sources. Chinese shops commonly carry a cheaper variety of Chinese chess that has a paper board and wooden pieces, with the customary red and black inscriptions. There is a new generation of Chinese chess sets coming out that has brought together a selection of more desirable and durable Chinese chess sets.

Chinese Chess Sets
This Folding Travel Chinese Chess Set is great for mobility, it conveniently folds in half for storage or travel. Most folding chess sets have a clasp to keep them shut, this folding travel Chinese chess set has powerful intergrated magnets located near the corners on the underside of the board. The board is made of quality wood, the lines in it are actually carved into the board, not cheaply painted, the dimensions of this Chinese chess set are as follows: 12 1/2" x 3/4" x 12 1/2". The pieces that come with this Chinese chess set have the customary red and black symbols and have a substantial weight to them; they are crafted out of ground stone.

The Chinese Chess Set & Traditional Chess Set Package comes with the same ground stone pieces with black and red Chinese chess pieces. The Chinese chess board however can be flipped around revealing a traditional 64 square chess board; this package comes with the reversible Chinese chess board & classic chess board, Chinese chess set, and classic chess pieces. On a rateing of 1-5 i would rate the classic chess pieces at a 2, not all that great. but the chess board has algebraic notation on it and is really a great board, the squares and lines on the board are gold and the wood has a burgundy/red hue to it. Both sets of pieces come with a satin drawstring bag and rules on how to play.

For those of you who don't care to spend as much money on a game you may not have ever played, but would still like to get the game to learn it and enjoy it, the cheaper Chinese Chess Set is also available. This Chinese chess set comes with the heavy plastic Chinese chess pieces, a plastic case, and a thin paper foldable Chinese chess board. This Chinese chess set is obviously a cheaper version and really all you would get that will last is the pieces. It also comes with a set of rules

Chinese Chess History
History of Chinese Chess
Chinese chess, also known as Xiangqi, is a very popular game of the Orient. Tens of millions play this game in Thailand, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong and other Asian countries. Xiangqi means "elephant game" and is pronounced "Shiang-Chi".

Playing Chinese Chess
Chinese chess rules have the Xiangqi board made up of ten horizontal lines and nine vertical lines. These are divided horizontally with a line called the "river". Two "palaces" are positioned in the center opposite sides of the Xiangqi board. Each is made by crossed lines connecting it's four "points".

Traditional chess is played on squares while Xiangqi chess pieces are played on intersecting lines called "points". The pieces consist of 2 Rooks (or chariots), 2 Knights (or horses), 2 Elephants (or bishops), 2 Mandarins (or advisors/assistants/guards), 1 King (or general), 2 Cannons, 5 Pawns (or soldiers).

Chinese Chess Rules

• Red moves first
  
• Win by checkmate or stalemate of the opponent's King
  
• Perpetual check is not allowed and you cannot check your opponent more than three times consecutively with the same position on the board.
  
• You can't force an enemy piece to move to and from the same two points endlessley in order for them to avoid capture. This rule avoids perpetual check type draws.
  
• Game is drawn when checkmate or stalemate are impossible.