---
title: "Is There Notation Shorthand for Named Mating Patterns? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "No dedicated notation symbol exists. Named patterns like the horse-behind-cannon mate are referred to by their Chinese name in commentary, but the moves themselves are still written out in full using ordinary notation."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/is-there-notation-shorthand-for-named-mating-patterns
updated: 2026-09-23
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# Is there a notation shorthand for common named patterns like the horse-behind-cannon mate, or are they always spelled out?

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
>
> **No, there is no special symbol; the pattern is named in prose, and the moves are still written out in full.** A named pattern such as the horse-behind-cannon mate is identified for the reader by its Chinese name in the surrounding commentary, which tells them what to expect and helps them recognise the idea again elsewhere. The actual sequence of moves that carries it out is still recorded exactly like any other sequence, in ordinary notation, move by move.

## Why prose labelling suits patterns better than a symbol would

A symbol works well for something that is always executed identically, like a checkmate marker. Named patterns vary in their exact move order from game to game even when they share the same underlying idea, so labelling the pattern in words alongside the actual notated moves communicates both the general idea and the specific execution at once.

## How this shows up in annotated material

An annotator will typically write something like "...and now the familiar horse-behind-cannon idea decides the game" right before or after the relevant moves, rather than encoding the pattern name into the notation itself. The label is for the reader's understanding; the notation remains a precise, literal record of what was actually played.

## Related questions

Does this apply to opening names too, like the Central Cannon?

Yes, the same convention: the opening is named in the surrounding prose, while the actual moves are recorded normally.

Would a database ever tag games by pattern name for searching?

Some specialised databases do add searchable tags for well-known patterns, but this sits alongside the standard notation rather than replacing it.

## Related xiangqi resources

Reading notation

炮二平五 and C2=5 — the same move, two ways

Horse behind cannon

馬後炮 — the classic mate

Checkmate patterns

The named mates worth knowing

## Try it on a real board

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