Controls

You play by tapping a piece and then its destination, moving on the intersections of the board. You can also choose to pass your turn.

Janggi's cannons and palace are its signature features:

• The cannon must jump over exactly one piece to move or capture, so it can never move on an empty line. Uniquely, it may never jump over or land on another cannon, of either side.
• The palace is where the generals and guards stay, and its diagonal lines give pieces there extra movement and escape routes, making the palace a battlefield of its own.

You may pass your turn in Janggi, an option no other chess-like game here offers, which adds subtle tactical possibilities.

You win by checkmating the enemy general. Against the computer, the difficulty rises across eight levels.

Tips

• Master the cannon's restrictions. The cannon needs a screen piece to move at all and can never interact with another cannon, so plan its lines carefully, since it's powerful but easily neutralized by these limits.
• Use the palace diagonals. The diagonal lines inside the palace give the general and guards extra movement, so use them to defend and to create escape squares that aren't obvious from the straight lines alone.
• Consider the pass. Being able to pass a turn is a rare option, and in the right position it can force your opponent to commit first or preserve a strong setup, so keep it in mind.
• Develop your strong pieces early. The chariots are your most powerful pieces, so activating them early gives you the most attacking pressure, as in the related chess games.
• Set traps with the reworked pieces. Janggi's freer elephants and peculiar cannons make for tactical surprises, so look for combinations that exploit how differently these pieces move compared to standard chess.
• Protect your general's palace. Keep your guards positioned to shield the general, since the palace is where checkmates happen, and a well-defended palace is much harder for your opponent to crack.

Frequently asked questions