The Central Cannon (中炮)
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Direct answer
The Central Cannon (中炮) moves a cannon to the central file on the first move, aiming it straight down the file the enemy general stands on and attacking the central soldier immediately. It is the most popular and most aggressive opening in xiangqi. Its main reply is Screen Horses.
The opening moves
Step through the first two moves below. The commentary changes with each one.
Press “Next move” to play through the opening.
Xiangqi position. Red: soldier a3, soldier c3, soldier e3, soldier g3, soldier i3, cannon b2, cannon h2, chariot a0, horse b0, elephant c0, advisor d0, general e0, advisor f0, elephant g0, horse h0, chariot i0. Black: chariot a9, horse b9, elephant c9, advisor d9, general e9, advisor f9, elephant g9, horse h9, chariot i9, cannon b7, cannon h7, soldier a6, soldier c6, soldier e6, soldier g6, soldier i6. Red to move.
The idea
The cannon needs a screen to capture, and at move one the board is as full as it will ever be. Putting a cannon on the central file immediately creates a threat that will not exist twenty moves later — which is why xiangqi openings are so much sharper than their chess counterparts.
Concretely, the Central Cannon:
- Attacks the central soldier right away, using the enemy's own pieces as screens.
- Aims at the general down the file it sits on, so any later clearance of that file is a threat.
- Forces a reply. Black cannot develop freely and must address the centre first.
How Black answers
Two families of reply account for most games:
- Screen Horses (屏風馬) — develop both horses to guard the centre. Solid, flexible, and the main line at every level.
- Opposing Cannon — answer with a central cannon of your own, leading to sharp, symmetrical positions where knowing the ideas matters more than knowing the moves.
Whichever you meet, the strategic question stays the same: Red is trying to open the central file while Black's pieces still block it, and Black is trying to complete development before that happens.
Common mistakes
Attacking with only the cannon
One piece does not make an attack. The Central Cannon is the first move of a plan that needs the chariots; played alone it achieves nothing and loses time.
Blocking your own cannon's file
Moving a piece onto the central file in front of your own cannon throws away the entire point of the opening.
Forgetting the cannon weakens as pieces trade
If Black gets the trades in, the cannon on the central file becomes a spectator. Keep the position full while you attack.
Related questions
What is the Central Cannon in xiangqi?
An opening in which a cannon moves to the central file on the first move, attacking the central soldier and aiming down the file the enemy general occupies. In Chinese notation it is written C2=5 or C8=5, depending on which cannon moves.
Is the Central Cannon a good opening for beginners?
Yes. Its ideas are direct and easy to understand — attack the centre, bring up the chariots — which makes it a better first opening than the quieter systems.
What is the best answer to the Central Cannon?
Screen Horses is the main line and the soundest practical choice: it defends the centre and develops at the same time.