Attacking the palace
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Direct answer
An attack on the palace needs at least two pieces, a line into the palace, and usually the removal of one advisor. The central file is the main road because the general sits on it, and your own general takes part by controlling the file opposite under the flying general rule.
The target is nine points
The general never leaves the palace, so you always know where it is. That is the single largest difference between attacking in xiangqi and attacking in chess. There is no castling, no running to the other wing and no hiding. The target is nine points and it stays there all game.
What follows is that attacks are concrete. You are not creating vague pressure, you are covering specific points. Count them.
What an attack needs
- Two pieces at least. One attacker is met by one defender. Nearly every mating pattern in the game uses exactly two attacking pieces, which is also the minimum.
- A line in. Usually the central file, sometimes a file beside it once a chariot is doubled or a cannon has a screen.
- One advisor gone. Most attacks that fail against two advisors succeed against one. Removing an advisor is often worth a soldier or more.
- Your own general. In the endgame it controls the file it stands on, which takes escape points away for free.
The order of operations
Bring the pieces first, then open the line, then strike. Attacks fail most often because the striking move came before the second attacker arrived, which gives the defender a free move to bring a piece back.
Before committing, count two numbers: how many pieces you can bring to the palace in three moves, and how many the defender can. If the second number is larger, the attack is not ready.
The same list, from the other side
Defending is the mirror. Keep both advisors if you can, keep a spare point for the general, block the central file early, and count the attacker's pieces rather than reacting to each threat as it arrives.
The most useful defensive habit is to notice which of your own pieces are taking away your general's escape points. In several standard mates the defender's own advisors are the reason the mate works.
Common mistakes
Attacking with one piece
One attacker meets one defender and nothing happens. Wait for the second piece even when the first threat looks strong.
Striking before the pieces arrive
The premature move gives the defender exactly the tempo needed to bring a piece home. Bring everything first.
Ignoring the advisors
Two advisors stop most attacks. Removing one is often the move that makes everything else work, even at the cost of material.
Related questions
How do you attack in xiangqi?
Bring at least two pieces to bear on the palace, open a line into it, and remove an advisor if you can. The general cannot leave the palace, so the target never moves.
Why is the central file so important?
Because the general stands on it, and because a cannon on that file attacks through any single screen. This is the idea behind the Central Cannon opening.
Can your own general help the attack?
Yes. Two generals may never face each other on a clear file, so your general takes that file away from the enemy general. In the endgame this is often what makes a mate possible. See the flying general rule.
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