---
title: "Screen Horses vs Central Cannon: Black's Plans · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Hold the centre, get a chariot out fast, free the horses with flank soldier moves, then counterattack on a wing. Black's plan in the main defence."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-black-aiming-for-in-screen-horses
updated: 2026-09-29
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# What is Black trying to do in Screen Horses against the Central Cannon?

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
>
> Black's plan has four parts: **hold the centre** with both horses, **get a chariot out quickly** to challenge Red's, **free the horses** with a flank soldier move, and then **counterattack on a wing** where Red's pieces are thin. Screen Horses is not a passive wall; it is a sound base from which Black strikes back.

## Hold the centre first

The Central Cannon's first target is Black's central soldier. With both horses beside the central file, that soldier is defended twice, and Red cannot win it without giving something back. That is why [Screen Horses](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-screen-horses) is the main defence: the defending moves are also developing moves.

## Chariots out, and meet Red's chariot

Red usually develops a chariot quickly, often straight up the file its horse and cannon vacated. Black commonly puts a chariot on the same file to contest it. An uncontested Red chariot on the river bank or across it, as in the [crossing-chariot](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-central-cannon-crossing-chariot) lines, is exactly what Black must not allow for free.

## Free the horses and counterattack

A horse needs open points in front of it. Advancing the soldier on the third or seventh file gives a horse a route forward and takes a point from Red's pieces. From there Black looks for the wing where Red is weakest, often the side Red's chariot has left, and brings cannons and horses there.

## Common mistakes

- Moving a horse away from the centre while the central cannon still threatens the soldier.
- Leaving both chariots at home and letting Red's chariot dominate an open file.
- Pushing soldiers on both wings, creating holes Red's horses can use.

To see the same fight from Red's side, read [the plan behind the Central Cannon](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-is-the-plan-behind-the-central-cannon-attack).

## Related questions

Is Screen Horses too defensive?

No. It spends its first moves defending because they also develop. After that Black has a normal share of counterplay.

Should Black trade pieces to ease pressure?

Trading an active attacker is often useful, especially Red's chariot. Trading just to trade usually hands Red time.

## Related xiangqi resources

Screen Horses

The main defence to the Central Cannon

The Central Cannon

The most played first move in the game

Opening principles

What the first ten moves are actually for

## Try it on a real board

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