How do you evaluate an endgame with horse and cannon on one side against chariot and horse on the other?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws for movement, checkmate and both repetition rulings: a side that forces a repetition by perpetual check or perpetual chase loses rather than drawing. The chase half has not been validated against the official casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it before publishing.
Direct answer
Chariot and horse is clearly ahead: on the value table it has a chariot where the other side has a cannon (13 against 8.5). It is usually easier to play as well. A chariot can create meaningful threats entirely on its own, while a cannon needs a screen and a horse needs a clear path to its target squares, so horse and cannon depends much more on the two pieces actively working together just to keep up.
Why raw values still understate the difference
Point values assume every piece gets to use its full potential, but a cannon stranded without a useful screen and a horse with its legs blocked are both temporarily much weaker than their nominal value suggests. A chariot has no equivalent dependency, it threatens whatever is on its line the moment it gets there, which is why the pairing with a chariot tends to feel more reliable in practice.
What the horse-and-cannon side should prioritise
Coordinating the two pieces so the horse can supply a screen or the cannon can support a horse fork is the whole plan; used separately, neither piece is nearly as dangerous. Look for squares where both pieces can eventually work on the same target rather than developing them toward opposite sides of the board.
Related questions
Is this endgame ever winning for the horse-and-cannon side?
It can be, particularly if the chariot side's general is exposed or its soldiers are weak, but against a chariot it needs precise coordination and usually a mistake to work with.
Does an extra soldier change the evaluation much?
It matters, as in most endgames, but on the value table even a crossed soldier is worth far less than the gap between a chariot and a cannon.
.