What is a discovered attack 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
Moving one piece so that a different piece behind it attacks something. With a chariot it works exactly as in chess — clear the line and the attack appears. With a cannon it inverts: putting a piece onto an empty line creates the attack, and removing the screen destroys one.
Two directions, both tactics
- Switch on. Drop any piece onto an empty line between your cannon and a target. The cannon now attacks through it.
- Switch off. Move the screen an enemy cannon is using, and their threat disappears without you touching the cannon.
Neither has a chess equivalent, and the second is the one defenders miss most often.
Discovered check and double check
The strongest version is where the moving piece uncovers a check: the opponent must answer it, so the moving piece can go somewhere it normally could not. Double check — both pieces checking at once — can rarely be answered by one block or capture, so the general usually has to move, and it frequently ends the game.
Related questions
How do I find them?
Look for your chariots that sit exactly one of your own pieces away from something valuable, and your cannons that sit two away. Each one is a discovered attack waiting for the front piece to have somewhere to go.
Why are they sharper in xiangqi?
Because cannons can be switched on and off, lines open and close far more often than in chess.
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