Janggi: Rules and How to Play
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.
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 and scoring
- 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.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| 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 |
Terms
- Palace
- The crossed 3×3 area for generals and guards.
- Cho and Han
- Cho moves first; Han second.
- Bikjang
- Generals face each other on an open file.
- Pass
- Hand over the turn without moving a piece.
- Horse leg
- The first orthogonal step of a horse.
- Elephant path
- The first orthogonal point and the next diagonal point.
- Bonus
- Han always adds 1.5 points.
FAQ
What if checkmate is not reached?
Remaining piece points decide adjudication. Han adds 1.5, preventing ties.
What is bikjang?
Generals face on an open file. Break it or accept adjudication.
What if the same position keeps repeating?
The side behind on points cannot create the same position a third time and must choose another move, standing in for the tournament referee who makes the trailing side change its move. If the side ahead creates the third occurrence, or the side behind has no other move, remaining points decide.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-10-07 · Run by Qdan, Inc.