Do skewers exist 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
Yes, mainly with chariots, and they work exactly as in chess: attack a valuable piece so that when it moves, a lesser piece behind it is captured. Cannon skewers are stranger, because the cannon needs a screen — so the "front" piece is the screen, and moving it exposes whatever is beyond.
The chariot version
Ordinary and frequent. The best targets are along the rank in front of the palace, where a defending general and an advisor often line up. Because the general must move when attacked, a skewer against it is forcing rather than merely annoying.
The cannon version
A cannon attacking through a screen already threatens the piece behind. If the screen moves away, the cannon stops attacking entirely — so the cannon "skewer" is really a pin, and it is the screen that is stuck. Working out which you are looking at means counting the pieces on the line.
Related questions
Is the flying general pin a skewer?
No, it is a pin — the piece cannot move at all, rather than being pushed off a line.
Which piece skewers best?
The chariot, because it needs no screen and can attack along any clear line.
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