FUN XIANGQI GUIDES
How to Move the Elephant in Xiangqi (相 / 象)
By The Fun Xiangqi Team · Published · 3 min read
Video walkthrough coming soon
Steps
Find your elephants
Each side has two elephants: 相 for Red, 象 for Black. They start on your back line, between each advisor and horse.
Move exactly two points diagonally
An elephant always moves two points diagonally in one go — never one, never three. It lands two points across and two points forward or back at the same time.
Check the elephant's eye
The point in the middle of that diagonal is the elephant's eye. If any piece, of either colour, stands on it, the elephant can't move in that direction.
Stay on your side of the river
An elephant can never cross the river. Together with its diagonal move, that leaves only seven points it can ever reach, all on your own half.
Capture by landing on a piece
An elephant captures by ending its two-point move on an enemy piece — as long as the eye in between is empty.
The elephant's seven points
The elephant moves in big diagonal steps but never leaves home. Put its two-point diagonal move together with the river rule and you get a short list: seven points on your own half, and nowhere else.
a b c d e f g h i
5 . . o . . . o . .
4 . . . . . . . . .
3 o . . . o . . . o
2 . . . . . . . . .
1 . . o . . . o . .
-------- your edge --------
o = every point a Red elephant can ever stand on. The two elephants start on c1 and g1. The centre point e3 is the hub: it's the one point both elephants can reach in a single move from the start, and an elephant there covers c1, g1, c5 and g5.
The elephant's eye
Every elephant move passes over one point on the way — the eye. If anything stands on it, that direction is shut.
a b c d e
3 o . . . x
2 . . . P .
1 . . E . .
E = elephant on c1. P = a piece, of either colour, on d2. The move to e3 is blocked (x), because d2 is the eye on that diagonal. The move to a3 is still open (o), because its eye, b2, is empty. In Vietnamese this is called cản mắt tượng — "blocking the elephant's eye".
Remember that it cuts both ways: your own pieces can block your elephant, and your opponent can drop a piece on the eye on purpose to shut it down.
Common mistakes
- Crossing the river. It feels natural to push an elephant forward, but c5 and g5 are as far as it goes.
- Moving one point, or three. It's always exactly two points diagonally.
- Forgetting the eye. Before you plan a move, look at the point in between. If it's occupied, the move doesn't exist.
- Sliding like a chess bishop. The elephant doesn't slide along a long diagonal; each move is a single two-point diagonal step, and it can't pass over a piece.
Quick questions
Can an elephant capture? Yes, by landing on an enemy piece at the end of its two-point move, as long as the eye is empty.
How much is an elephant worth? Rough values put it at about 2 points, the same as an advisor — sources differ.
Why do the elephants stay back? They can't do anything else: all seven of their points are on your side of the river, so their job is to cover your half.
The river is the reason the elephant stays home — see what the palace and river are. For the other palace defender, read how to move the advisor. Next comes the other piece that can be blocked mid-move: how to move the horse. Or start a free game from the Fun Xiangqi home page.