---
title: "How Does the Soldier Move in Xiangqi? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "A soldier moves one point forward. After crossing the river it may also move sideways, but never backwards, and there is no promotion."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/how-does-the-soldier-move-in-xiangqi
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# How does the soldier move 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
>
> One point **forward**, always. Once it has **crossed the river** it may also move one point **sideways**. It never moves backwards, it captures exactly the way it moves, and there is **no promotion** — crossing the river is the only upgrade it ever gets.

## Crossing doubles its value

An uncrossed soldier is worth about 1 and a crossed one about 2, because sideways movement lets it attack more than the single point ahead. Three crossed soldiers are a real attacking force; the same three at home are close to nothing.

## Do not push it to the edge

A soldier on the last rank can only move sideways, and one in a corner is effectively dead. Push soldiers toward the palace, where a single soldier covering one escape point turns a check into a mate.

## Related questions

Do soldiers capture diagonally?

No — unlike chess pawns, they capture exactly as they move.

Is there promotion?

No. Reaching the last rank gives nothing extra.

## Related xiangqi resources

How the soldier moves

Forward only, until it crosses the river

Soldier endgames

Why a crossed soldier is worth double

What the pieces are worth

And the three times the numbers stop being true

## Try it on a real board

Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.