Sin-yeon-sang-gi (新演象棋)

I adapted Sin-yeon-sang-hui (新演象戱), one of the variations of the Joseon Dynasty, in Xiangqi style.

Setup

(Western version)

R I B H U A G A U H B I R
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- C - - - - - - - - - C -
P - P - P - P - P - P - P
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
P - P - P - P - P - P - P
- C - - - - - - - - - C -
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
R I B H U G K G U H B I R

(This is the basic setup. Always start the game in this deployment.)

車 犀 熊 馬 牛 士 黑 士 牛 馬 熊 犀 車
口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口
口 砲 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 砲 口
卒 口 卒 口 卒 口 卒 口 卒 口 卒 口 卒
口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口
口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口
兵 口 兵 口 兵 口 兵 口 兵 口 兵 口 兵
口 砲 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 砲 口
口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口 口
車 犀 熊 馬 牛 仕 紅 仕 牛 馬 熊 犀 車

Pieces

Pawn (P. 卒) : Move 1 square orthogonally forward. If it crosses a River(between 5th and 6th rank), it can also move 1 square orthogonally sideways. Equivalent to Xiangqi's Soldier.

- Betza notation : fW, fsW (When it crossed the river)

Rook (R. 車) : Moves any number of squares orthogonally. Equivalent to Chess's Rook.

- Betza notation : R

Cannon (C. 砲) : Like the Rook, it moves any number of squares orthogonally, but cannot capture pieces. To capture a piece, it must hop over one piece on the path. Cannons can also jump or catch each other. Equivalent to Xiangqi's Cannon.

- Betza notation : mRcpR

Horse (H. 馬) : Moves 1 square orthogonally and then 1 square further diagonally. It can go 8 points in total. Equivalent to Janggi's Horse.

- Betza notation : asfW

Bear (B. 熊) : Moves 1 square orthogonally and then 2 squares further diagonally. It can go 8 points in total. Equivalent to Janggi's Elephant.

- Betza notation : asfafW

Rhino(I. 犀) : Moves 2 squares orthogonally and then 1 square further diagonally. It can go 8 points in total.

- Betza notation : afasfW

Bull(U. 牛) : Moves 2 squares away diagonally. It cannot cross the river. Equivalent to Xiangqi's Elephant.

- Betza notation : afF

Guard(G. 士) : Moves 1 square diagonally. It cannot leave the Palace(九宮. the 3x3 area in the middle of the last rank). Equivalent to Xiangqi's Advisor.

- Betza notation: F

Black/Red(黑/紅) : Moves 1 square orthogonally. Like the Guard, It cannot leave the palace. Also, Black and Red cannot face each other. In other words, there should not be a situation where Black and Red are in the same file and no piece exists between them. Equivalent to Xiangqi's General.

- When called without distinction between Black and Red, it is simply called King帥. (therefore, in notation, Bright and Dark are written as same K.)

- The state in which your King is attacked by enemy piece is called check將. if your King has no way to get out of the enemy's check on that turn, call it checkmate and you are defeated.

- Betza notation: WfafyafcW

Rules

1. All rules are the same as Xiangqi, but there are some differences.

2. At the 9th rank and 10th rank, the Pawn can also moves 1 square orthogonally behind.

- Of course, a Pawn that has moved backwards from 9th rank to 8th rank cannot move backwards until it reaches 9th or 10th rank again.

3. If all Pawns of one player are captured, from that point on, all Bulls and all Guards of both players can cross the river and move out of the palace.

(Nos 2 and 3 were designed as a way to reduce draws.)

Notes

Here is a sample game:

1. e5 i6 2. Be4 Bi7 3. He3 Hc8 4. Ueg3 c6 5. Uk3 Hd6 6. Cb4 Hf5 7. Hg2 Cbk8 8. Ra3 k6 9. Hgi3 Bf8 10. Ie2 Hi8 11. Bb6 Hh6 12. g5 Ic7 13. Gfg2 Cl4 14. Rb3 Ik7 15. a5 k5=Q 16. kxk5 Cxk5 17. Uki1 Cxc4 18. Cl6 Bl5 19. Ca4 Ck6 20. Ik4 c5=Q 21. a6=Q Rl10 22. Rf3 Rxl6 23. Ib1 Cb4 24. Rxf8 Bxi3 25. Hxi3 Qb5 26. Ca3 Hj6 27. Ij1 Ueg8 28. Ic4 Qc5 29. Rc8 Rb10 30. Cxa7 Qxc4 31. Rxc7 Cb3 32. Hk2 Qd4 33. Rc3 Cb2 34. Rc2 Cb1 35. Cxg7 Gfg9 36. g6=Q Hhi8 37. Rb2 Ca1 38. Ra2 Hxg7 39. Rxa1 Hgi8 40. Hj4 Ck5 41. Rd1 Ra10 42. Rxd4 Rxa6 43. Rd6 Cj5 44. Hi2 Ra1 45. Gf1 Uk8 46. Uk3 Cg5 47. Ghg2 Ra10 48. m5 Il4 49. Rm2 Rl5 50. Rd7 Rj5 51. Ik4 Rj1 52. Uki1 Rxi1

Last revised by Fergus Duniho.