Should I move my general in the opening?
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
Almost never. In the opening a general move develops nothing, gains no ground, and usually opens a line that was better closed. There are narrow exceptions — stepping off a file to break a pin, or unblocking your own piece — but a general move should always answer a specific question.
The exceptions worth knowing
- Breaking a flying general pin on one of your own pieces. Often the cheapest answer available.
- Stepping off a file an enemy cannon or chariot has just taken.
- Making room for an advisor that needs to reach a particular point.
And the endgame reversal
Everything changes once the enemy pieces are gone. Then the general should be walked up the board, because it controls the file it stands on and that is a free attacker. The same move that was a mistake on move five is the winning move on move fifty.
Related questions
Does moving the general lose the right to anything?
No — there is no castling, so nothing is forfeited. It simply costs a move.
Is the general safe in the centre of the palace?
Often less safe than on its starting point, because the central file is where cannons aim.
.