Anthony Lee
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thread 1/11
Introduction to Korean Chess

After challenging myself with Western chess and Chinese chess (also called xiangqi), I would now like to post a thread to talk about janggi, also known as Korean chess. I hope this will help you see how the game is played, maybe even get you interested in it, too. 🙂
03:26 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 2/11
As shown in the picture above, a janggi board involves game pieces occupying intersections of horizontal and vertical lines, just like a xiangqi board. However, unlike xiangqi, there is no river in the middle of the board that player pieces cross to enter the opponent's territory.
03:27 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 3/11
Like in xiangqi, each player in janggi has a palace, the set of four squares with diagonal lines.

Two types of pieces stay within the palace: the general (like the king in Western chess) and the two guards. Both types of pieces move along any horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line of the palace.
03:27 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 4/11
On each side of the palace are horses and elephants.

The horse moves along the side of one square, then diagonally across another square, as long the path is clear.

The elephant moves along the side of one square, then diagonally across two nonadjacent squares, as long as the path is clear.
03:28 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 5/11
At the start, one player puts pieces on their side of the board before the other does. Each player decides whether both elephants or one elephant on either side of the palace occupy/ies the spots closer to the palace, with the horse taking the other. All other pieces have no spot options to choose.
03:28 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 6/11
The chariots at the corners are exactly like the rooks in Western chess and the chariots in Chinese chess. They move horizontally or vertically for any unobstructed distance. Needless to say, this is the most powerful piece in Korean chess (and Chinese chess, too) as there is no queen equivalent.
03:28 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 7/11
Players in janggi have two cannons behind the front line of pieces. They move horizontally or vertically for any distance, as long as the move, whether capturing or noncapturing, involves jumping over one other piece that is not a cannon. In addition, a cannon cannot capture another cannon.
03:29 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 8/11
Finally, the frontline pieces are the soldiers. They move along side square horizontally or vertically. That's all there is to it with that piece. It's simpler than the soldier movements in Chinese chess and the pawn movements in Western chess. Think of them as miniature chariots that can't go far.
03:30 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 9/11
One last basic rule about certain pieces...

Like in Chinese chess, the opposing generals are not allowed to be on the same vertical line on the board with no pieces positioned in between. You cannot make a move that results in this. Take this into account if your general is being threatened.
03:30 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 10/11
Like other chess games, the basic objective is to move your pieces according to their rules to trap the opponent's general. If a general is in check (threatened by a piece), options include capturing the threatening piece, blocking it, or moving the general. If there is no way out, that's checkmate.
03:31 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Anthony Lee
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thread 11/11
So there you have it, the rules of Korean chess. If you are a chess enthusiast but never heard of janggi, I hope you give it a try sometime.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to try beating the computer opponent on my janggi app's hardest difficulty level. I'll let you know if I am successful. 🙂
03:31 PM - Aug 11, 2023
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Bev Turner
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In response to Anthony Lee.
We're trying to learn GO.
07:30 PM - Feb 04, 2024
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Anthony Lee
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In response to Bev Turner.
That's a chalenging game. 🙂
07:31 PM - Feb 04, 2024
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Carla Reid + Chilla
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In response to Anthony Lee.
Oh, I could get it as an app and try.
I used to play chess a fair amount, does not mean I am good though. But I enjoyed it.
07:28 PM - Feb 04, 2024
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