Chess

[Ian_Lee]

There are many similarities and divergence between Chinese chess and western chess.

Similarities:

(1) The king in both chesses are highly immobile.

(2) Some moves are identically the same, i.e. moves of the rook, knight (horse) and pawn are the same.

But the differences are more diverge:

(1) Chinese chess are more territorially conscious. Two sides are divided by a River. The king moves in only his 9-square Forbidden City and protected by a pair of Mandarin and a pair of elephant while western king seems more lonely.

(2) Equal Right for women seems to have been implemented in western chess. The Queen is unsurpassed in its clout.

(3) Religion interferes with politics in western chess since the Bishops are very powerful in chess.

(4) Surpassingly technology is more advanced in Chinese chess. Aside from the manipulation of elephant as a weapon, cannon is another one. Western chess seems staying put in medieval time.

(5) The rook in western press is a castle while in Chinese chess it is horse-drawn wagon. It seems Chinese chess is more outward looking while western chess is vice versa.

(6) Pawns are much less in number in Chinese chess. Probably Chinese military strategy placed high value on different varieties of forces while western strategy emphasized more on foot soldiers.

[nnt]

Western chess is more open to progress: the pawn can hope to be promoted to any other piece except the king, which can thus turn polygamous...

[roddy]

I much prefer Chinese Chess to International Chess now - I find it's a much subtler game (don't ask me to explain why though). I love the whole 'cannon shooting from behind cover' thing, and the fact that horses can't jump without a run-up.

I also loved the way someone discribed the moves of the horses and elephants once.

马是走日字，像是走田字

I think that's cute.

Roddy

[39degN]

I also loved the way someone discribed the moves of the horses and elephants once.

Quote:

马是走日字，像是走田字

I think that's cute.

yeah,

rule: "马走日，象走田，炮打隔山子儿". "小卒一去不还乡(悲壮啊，风萧萧兮易水寒，壮士一去兮不复还)"

skill: "车(ju1)残马败炮还家"

[Ian_Lee]

In Chinese chess, the kings cannot face each other. Does that mean "Two suns cannot exist under one sky"?

Or are they just too embarassed to face the other?

[Ian_Lee]

Chess news just come in:

http://news.chinatimes.com/Chinatimes/Moment/newfocus-index/0,3687,930428001+0+0+082438,00.html

A Taiwanese Chinese chess maniac beat his opponents at a 75% ratio in a marathon 11 & 1/2-hr matches with him alone playing against 110 chess players simultaneously in Chengdu.

[nnt]

In Chinese chess, the kings cannot face each other

In International chess, it's the same, though much less strict: it happens only in "close combat" whereas the rules applies at a distance for Chinese chess.

In international chess the two kings must be separated by one case at least.

International chess kings are warrior kings who lead their troops tung hoành thiên hạ 纵横天下(zong1 heng2 tian1 xia4) especially in endings, whereas Chinese chess kings are more taoist ( wu2 wei4 vô vi 无为) adepts

[Quest]

http://www.chesshub.com/

Play Chinese chess online against hundreds of other players for free.

http://www.cchess.com

learn everything about Chinese chess.

[badatpool]

中国人说下棋更多是“杀一盘儿”，如此方寸棋盘转眼成了战场，运筹帷幄，不过决胜眼前，倒也有几分一树一菩提的妙境。

事无巨细，全都离不开一个“品”，人品、画品、自然也有棋品，我的棋品不好，常常悔棋，还幻想着将棋盘向对方脸上扔过去，都说画如其人，希望棋上不会有“可窥一斑”的功用，不过我的对手也好不到哪里去，常常悄无声息地置我于死地，比较阴险，而且通常胜利后笑得很大声，更不会说“承让！承让！”。

钟阿城的“棋王”很好看，电影也很好看（不是香港的那个版本），最后棋王“王一生”以“盲棋”大战九大高手，那份大气与杀气，凡人是不敢走近的。

[Ian_Lee]

Badatpool:

Very well said. I also love to read 棋王. But I prefer the novel to the movie.

Chess as well as wei qi and mahjong can all reflect a person's character during the playtime. Most players would unconsciously reveal the true side of himself.

In the night-time flea market in HK, some folks would put up some half-finished chess games and invite walker-by to play. If you win or even tie, you win some money from him.

But most of these half-finished games are unbeatable.

[skylee]

But most of these half-finished games are unbeatable.

Are they called "珍瓏"?

[Ian_Lee]

The name 珍瓏 is too fancy. They just called it 殘局.

[skylee]

Ian you are right. I am reading 天龍八部 again, which was probably why "珍瓏" popped up. "殘局" they are.