What is WXF notation?
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
WXF notation is the World Xiangqi Federation's romanised way of writing moves: a piece letter, the file it stands on, a direction sign, and a destination. C2=5 means "cannon on file 2 traverses to file 5" — the same move as 炮二平五.
Reading it
- Letters — K general, A advisor, E elephant, H horse, R chariot, C cannon, P soldier.
- Directions —
+forward,-backward,=along the rank. - Files — numbered 1–9 from each player's own right, so the same file has two numbers depending on who is moving.
After + or -, the last number is how far for straight-line pieces, or the destination file for horses, elephants and advisors.
When two pieces are on one file
Prefixes replace the file number: + for the front one and - for the rear one. So +R+1 is "the front chariot advances one". Chinese uses 前 and 後 for the same thing.
Related questions
Is WXF the same as the Chinese notation?
Structurally identical, just written in Latin script. Both are covered on reading notation.
Why do both sides count files from the right?
Because each player reads the board from their own side. It means the same physical file is file 2 for one player and file 8 for the other.
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