elephant chess

象棋 (Xiàngqí), Chinese chess, is quite similar to international chess, but with some very interesting differences.

Like in international chess, two armies face each other, hoping to take out each others’ kings - or here, generals. Instead of carved pieces, the Chinese version uses flat camembert-shaped pieces with beautiful characters on.

It also features a river across the middle of the board, beyond which some pieces move differently, and which cannot be crossed by the elephants – yes, elephants! The game is even named after them - look closely at the xiàng character (象). Hint: Is it facing you?

The perhaps coolest piece is the cannon, which moves as a rook/tower in international chess, but can attack only by jumping over another piece to get to its victim. Bang!

In parks you often hear loud, gleeful smacks when a player captures a piece by hammering his own piece down on top of it.

Horses and pawns, ok, but elephants and cannons?? Baidu Baike