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Janggi Strategy and Tips

Here is how to think about winning at Janggi, split into short lessons. Each one reads on its own, and each one comes with a real position: press Try it on the board and you play the move yourself.

Use palace diagonals with a chariot

Lesson 1

Palace diagonals join corners through the centre. Check that the centre is clear before sliding a chariot. Here move d9 to f7 through e8.

At adjudication, a remaining chariot is worth 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant or guard 3, soldier 2. Before capturing, check that your own general remains safe.

Three occurrences, two consecutive passes or the move limit trigger adjudication. Han adds 1.5 points, so review the point bands and breakdown after each capture.

Outside the palace a chariot only follows files and ranks. Only a chariot inside the palace may use the diagonals, so when the enemy general sits at the edge of its palace, look for squares from which a diagonal slide gives mate.

Keep a cannon screen

Lesson 2

A cannon needs its screen for moving as well as capturing. Keeping one non-cannon screen opens a capture line. Here jump only the a4 soldier and take the a7 chariot.

At adjudication, a remaining chariot is worth 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant or guard 3, soldier 2. Before capturing, check that your own general remains safe.

Three occurrences, two consecutive passes or the move limit trigger adjudication. Han adds 1.5 points, so review the point bands and breakdown after each capture.

A cannon can neither jump over another cannon nor capture one. The screen must be a single chariot, horse, elephant, guard or soldier, and the path beyond it must be empty up to the target point.

Control the palace with a soldier

Lesson 3

A soldier can advance diagonally inside the enemy palace. At the centre it controls nearby escape points. Choose a safe point because soldiers cannot retreat. Here f7 to e8 checks the Han general.

At adjudication, a remaining chariot is worth 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant or guard 3, soldier 2. Before capturing, check that your own general remains safe.

Three occurrences, two consecutive passes or the move limit trigger adjudication. Han adds 1.5 points, so review the point bands and breakdown after each capture.

Besides staying safe, a soldier is most useful when it removes escape points from the general. Palace diagonals pass only through the centre, so compare the centre with the four corners before choosing a point.

Choose a horse path that is not blocked

Lesson 4

A horse steps one point straight, then one point diagonally. A piece on the first point blocks that direction. Here the soldier on e5 blocks the upward path, so go through f4 to g5.

At adjudication, a remaining chariot is worth 13, cannon 7, horse 5, elephant or guard 3, soldier 2. Before capturing, check that your own general remains safe.

Three occurrences, two consecutive passes or the move limit trigger adjudication. Han adds 1.5 points, so review the point bands and breakdown after each capture.

Check the horse's leg every time. Any piece, friendly or enemy, on the first point blocks that direction. Avoid blocked directions and look for captures or points that give check.

Try it on the board

Pick a lesson and the board starts from that position. Start over as often as you like.

Now put it to work

Play with friendsLearn how to play (3 min)

Last updated 2026-10-07 · Run by Qdan, Inc.