What is a double check 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
Two pieces giving check simultaneously, almost always from a discovered attack: the moving piece checks and uncovers a second checker behind it. It cannot be blocked and cannot be answered by a capture, because no single move deals with both — so the general must move, and often it cannot.
Why it so often ends games
The general has nine points and several are occupied by its own pieces. Take away "block" and "capture" and you have removed two of the three answers to check, leaving only the one the confined palace makes hardest.
Setting one up
Look for a piece of yours that sits between one of your chariots or cannons and the enemy general, and that has a move which also gives check. That combination is a double check, and it is worth checking for every time a discovered attack is available.
Related questions
Can a cannon be part of a double check?
Yes, and it is common — the moving piece can be the cannon's screen departing, or arriving elsewhere with check.
Is double check always winning?
No, but it always forces a general move, which is usually enough to win material or mate.
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