Xiangaroo
This variant is to Xiang Qi what my Chaturanga variant Chatukanga is to Chaturanga. As in Chatukanga, I get rid of the Ferz, replace it with a compound of two of the paired back-rank pieces, and add in the other two such compound pieces.Two differences relate to XQ elements absent from Chaturanga and its westerly offshoots. As Xiang Qi has two Ferzes aside, I substitute two of each compound piece aside rather than the one each of Chatukanga. What I do not compound is the Cannon, which is neither a back-rank piece nor a piece with standard Occidental analogues. Since posting this variant I have devised distinctive names for the Cannon's compounds with any kind of Knight (Marksman) and any kind of Elephant (Minethrower), and Chatehopper is a fairly unambigious term for Cannon+Wazir, but at the time Cannon compounds seemed an unnecessary complication. Rook+Cannon would definitely be off limits as too strong in individual directions.
Having twice as many compound pieces as Chatukanga makes up for the relative weakness of Stepping moves compared to Leaping ones, which would leave Xiang Qi's General rather weak against them. As, however, the Ferz move lives on in Chatukanga as part of the King move, I feel quite justified in adding the Ferz move to the General to give the King familiar to Occidentals. At one stage I considered a King whose diagonal move was restricted to the diagonals through the middle of the Fortress, as in Janggi, but decided that this too would be a complication too far.
Setup
Pieces
Pieces existing both in their own right and as components of compoundsRules
The King cannot leave a Fortress comprising the intersection of the back three ranks and middle three files. It inherits this property from the General regarding its orthogonal move, and from the Ferz regarding its diagonal move.The boundary between the two middle ranks is a River, which Elephants cannot cross. Infantas can cross it only by their Rook move, in either direction. Kangaroos can cross it only by their Mao move, in any direction. Points crossing the River acquire the additional move one step sideways.
Check, Checkmate, Stalemate, and Bare Facing are as in Xiang Qi.
This 'user submitted' page is a collaboration between the posting user and the Chess Variant Pages. Registered contributors to the Chess Variant Pages have the ability to post their own works, subject to review and editing by the Chess Variant Pages Editorial Staff.
By Charles Gilman.
Last revised by H. G. Muller.
Web page created: 2010εΉ΄08ζ28ζ₯. Web page last updated: 2025εΉ΄03ζ24ζ₯ο»Ώ