Chinese-Chess-for-Beginners

Notation System

Movements

Kanji Pronunciation English Symbol Re-presentation
Jun Forward +
退 Tui Backward
Ping Traverse .

Tandem Positions

Kanji Pronunciation English Symbol Re-presentation
Chin Front +
Hau Rear -

Any person serious about mastering the game must learn the Notation System of writing down the moves. For the benefit of those who do not write Kanji characters, the Notation System using alphabets, numerals and mathematical symbols.

In this system, every move is written with four characters e.g. C2.5, the first character names the piece moved, the second character denotes the number of the file where the pieces sat before the move, the third character is either + (forward), - (backward), or . (traverse, move horizontally), and the last character either tells the number of the new file where the piece landed or the number of points moved by the piece.

The notation C2.5 means Cannon on file #2 move sideways to file #5. For the Adviser, the Elephant and the Horse, because of their oblique movement, the file number will always change after making a move. Therefore, the 4th character always denotes the new file number. For the rest i.e. King, Pawn, Chariot, and Cannon that move along a straight line, the 4th character also denotes the new file number when they move sideways. Only when they move forward or backward, the 4th character then counts the points they have covered. Sometimes you may have two pieces of same type along a file. In that case, change the second character to + or – to differentiate between the front one and the rear/back one.

Special Cases for Tandem Pawns

(I) 3 Pawns in a file ——

Therefore it can be denoted by normal notation. Example: 3 tandem pawns at #3 file to traverse sideways to #4 file

(II) 5 Pawns in a file

Example: 5 tandem pawns at #3 file to traverse to #4 file

(III) 4 Pawns in a file

No pawn in the middle, and they can be denoted same as (II) but without the mid-pawn.

Example: 4 tandem pawns at #3 file to traverse to #4 file

(IV) Tandem Pawns in 2 files

The first digit denotes the file of the pawn to move. Example: 3 tandem pawns at #3 file and 2 at #7 file.

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