Janggi
Also known as: Korean Chess / Changgi / 장기
Lead Cho or Han on a 9×10 board. Generals stay in the palace; cannons jump one piece. Trap the enemy general or win on remaining piece points. For 2, about 30 minutes. Free, no sign-up.
Play with friendsJust send the invite link. No sign-up for them either
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Play over time
Find an opponent onlineComing soon (October)
Janggi in 30 seconds
- Set upHan chooses an arrangement, then Cho. Cho moves first.
- Take turnsMove one piece or pass when not in check.
- MovementGenerals and guards follow palace lines, cannons jump one piece, elephants go one straight then two diagonal.
- WinCheckmate wins. Bikjang, consecutive passes and other endings are adjudicated by points.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 30 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-10-07 |
How to play Janggi online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Two players; on your own, play against the computer.
- Cho (green) and Han (red) have 16 pieces each. Generals are largest, chariots/cannons/horses/elephants medium, guards/soldiers smallest.
- Choose inner, outer, left or right elephant arrangements. Han chooses first, then Cho.
How to play
- Generals and guards move one point along palace lines. Chariots slide along ranks, files and palace diagonals.
- Every cannon move must jump one non-cannon screen. Cannons cannot jump or capture cannons.
- A horse goes one orthogonal then one diagonal point; an elephant goes one orthogonal then two diagonal points. Occupied intermediate points block the path.
- Soldiers move forward or sideways from the start and diagonally forward along enemy palace lines. No retreat or promotion.
- Always answer check. Pass when not in check; no legal moves while not checked cause an automatic pass.
- Landing on an enemy piece captures it. Captured pieces leave the board and cannot be used again in this game.
Winning
- Checkmate or an opponent resignation wins.
- For facing generals (bikjang), the next player breaks it or accepts adjudication.
- Both players passing once in succession, the same board and turn occurring three times, both sides having only generals and guards, or reaching the move limit trigger adjudication. Chariot 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant 3, guard 3, soldier 2 plus 1.5 for Han; the higher score wins. A setting permits draws.
- The side behind on points may not make a move (or pass) that creates the same board and turn a third time; if that is its only move, the game is adjudicated. If the side ahead creates the third occurrence, the game is also adjudicated.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show legal movesShow legal movesOn marks legal destinations and distinguishes captures after you select a piece. Off lets you read the destinations yourself. Piece movement rules stay the same. | Selecting a piece shows its legal destinations. | On | Can be changed |
| Swap first player on rematchSwap first player on rematchOn exchanges Cho, who moves first, and Han on each rematch. Off keeps the same sides. The extra 1.5 points always belong to the player controlling Han. | Play again switches who controls Cho. | On | Can be changed |
| Starting arrangementStarting arrangementChoose one of four arrangements for two horses and two elephants. Inner elephants puts elephants nearer the palace and horses farther out; Outer elephants reverses them. Check the button diagrams for Left and Right elephants. The paths available to horses and elephants change, but points stay the same. Han confirms first; Cho sees that arrangement before choosing. The inner-elephants setting skips selection. | Han chooses its horse and elephant arrangement first, then Cho. | Choose | Can be changed |
| AdjudicationAdjudicationUse remaining piece points instead of a draw. Chariot 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant 3, guard 3 and soldier 2; Han adds 1.5. Bikjang, consecutive passes, repetition, insufficient material and the move limit trigger adjudication. | For endings other than checkmate or resignation, remaining piece points decide adjudication. | Piece points | Can be changed |
| Facing generalsFacing generalsBikjang means the generals face with no intervening piece. The next player breaks it or accepts adjudication. In check, that player must escape check first. | Allow a move leaving the generals facing on an open file. | Bikjang allowed | Can be changed |
| Move limitMove limitEach move or pass counts as one. At the selected limit, the adjudication setting either compares points from the remaining pieces or ends in a draw. Zero removes adjudication by move count. | Adjudicate at this move limit, including passes. Zero disables the limit. | 300 moves | Can be changed |
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. On your own, play against the computer.
How does it differ from Xiangqi?
No river; passing is allowed; cannons always jump one piece; generals start at palace centres; octagonal pieces have three sizes.
Is there a tutorial?
Yes. You try the palace diagonals, each piece’s movement, passing, bikjang and the point breakdown on a real board, one step at a time.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A table ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Board)
Same player count
Last updated 2026-10-07 · Run by Qdan, Inc.