What is a crossed soldier worth in xiangqi?
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
Roughly double: about 2 against 1. Crossing the river adds sideways movement, so the soldier goes from attacking one point to attacking three. A soldier that reaches the enemy palace can be worth far more than 2, because a soldier covering one palace point is often the difference between check and checkmate.
Count them separately
Material counts that treat all five soldiers alike are simply wrong. Three crossed soldiers are an attacking force; three at home are almost nothing. When you evaluate a trade, count crossed and uncrossed soldiers as different pieces, because they are.
Where to push them
Toward the palace, not the edge. A soldier on the last rank in a corner can only shuffle sideways for the rest of the game. The same soldier two files inward may be a mating piece — and soldiers cannot come back to fix the mistake.
Related questions
Is a crossed soldier worth more than an advisor?
Usually not in the endgame — the advisor decides whole classes of mate. Near the enemy palace, a soldier can be worth more.
Can a soldier beat a bare general alone?
With its own general's help, yes, unless the soldier has already reached the last rank: soldier and general win 2,862 of 3,294 positions, and every draw has the soldier on the last rank. The general has to come up and take part.
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