---
title: "How Two Cannons Attack on Different Files in Xiangqi · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Rather than stacking on one file, two cannons can split across two files, each threatening a separate point near the palace so the defender cannot answer both."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/how-do-two-cannons-attack-on-different-files
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# How do two cannons attack on different files in xiangqi?

These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.

> Direct answer
>
> Instead of stacking on a single file for 重炮, two cannons can work from **two different files** at once, each with its own screen, each threatening a separate point near the palace. The defender then faces two independent problems rather than one, and answering one line often does nothing for the other.

## Why splitting can be stronger than stacking

A stacked pair, [馬後炮](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-ma-hou-pao)'s cousin pattern, needs the front piece defended and the general boxed in. Two cannons on separate files need neither: each is a separate threat in its own right, so the defence has to solve two problems with pieces that may only be able to help with one.

## The coordination it actually needs

Both files need their own screen already in place, or arriving on schedule, and both threats need to land close enough together in time that the defender cannot simply deal with the first before the second arrives. Timing, not just positioning, is what makes the split pair work.

## Related questions

Is this pattern as strong as 重炮?

Different rather than stronger or weaker: 重炮 is a forced mate once set up, while a split pair creates pressure that still needs converting.

Can a single defender handle both files?

Sometimes, if the defender's remaining pieces cover both lines. That is exactly the calculation worth doing before committing to the plan.

## Related xiangqi resources

The double cannon mate

重炮 — two cannons on one file

Cannon tactics

Screens, batteries and discoveries

Attacking the palace

How xiangqi attacks are built

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