--- title: "The Elephant Opening (飛相局) in Xiangqi · Xiangqi Master" description: "A quiet first move that defends the centre before attacking it. Why strong players use the Elephant Opening to avoid theory, and what Black can do about it." url: https://xiangqimaster.com/openings/elephant-opening updated: 2026-09-07 source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com) license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) --- # The Elephant Opening (飛相局) Every position, move and legality claim on this page is verified programmatically against our open rules engine, which implements the WXF laws and is tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. > Direct answer > > The Elephant Opening moves an elephant to the centre of your own half on move one. It defends the central point, keeps every plan available, and avoids the sharp Central Cannon lines entirely. It is the main alternative to the Central Cannon at every level of play. ## The move Red plays the elephant to the middle of the third rank, written E3+5 in WXF and 相三進五 in Chinese. It develops nothing, attacks nothing, and is completely solid. The position after the move is below. Play a reply and see how open Black's choices are. The Elephant Opening. Black to move, and almost everything is playable. After 相三進五. The elephant guards the central point, which is exactly where a Central Cannon would want to strike. > Diagram: Xiangqi position. Red: soldier a3, soldier c3, soldier e3, soldier g3, soldier i3, cannon b2, elephant e2, cannon h2, chariot a0, horse b0, elephant c0, advisor d0, general e0, advisor f0, 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. Black to move. ## Why strong players choose it - **It sidesteps theory.** The sharpest and most heavily analysed lines in xiangqi begin with the Central Cannon. The Elephant Opening avoids all of them on move one. - **It defends the point that matters.** The central soldier is the standard first target. An elephant in the middle defends it before the attack begins. - **It keeps every plan.** Nothing is committed. Red can still choose a cannon plan, a horse plan or a slow build depending on what Black does. The cost is that it gives up the initiative that Red gets by moving first. Against an opponent who plays actively, Red will spend the early middlegame equalising rather than attacking. ## How Black replies Black has three sensible plans and no need to rush: - **Take the centre.** Playing a central cannon of your own turns the game around and makes Black the attacker. - **Mirror it.** An elephant to the centre gives a quiet, level game that will be decided in the middlegame. - **Advance a soldier.** A flexible waiting move that opens a line for a horse and keeps every option. ## Common mistakes #### Treating it as a passive opening and drifting It is solid, not passive. Red still has to develop chariots and choose a plan, and a Red who shuffles will simply be worse. #### Blocking the elephant's own diagonal The elephant needs its midpoint clear to move again. Pieces dropped in front of it turn a defender into a spectator. #### Expecting an early attack This opening trades the initiative for solidity. If you want to attack from move one, play the Central Cannon instead. ## Related questions What is the Elephant Opening in xiangqi? An opening where Red moves an elephant to the centre of its own half on the first move, written 相三進五. It defends the central point and avoids the sharp Central Cannon lines. Is the Elephant Opening good for beginners? It is solid and hard to punish, which makes it safe, but it teaches less about attacking than the [Central Cannon](https://xiangqimaster.com/openings/central-cannon). Many teachers suggest learning to attack first. How should Black meet the Elephant Opening? Any of three ways: take the centre with a cannon, mirror the elephant move for a quiet game, or advance a soldier and keep options open. None of them is refuted. ## Related xiangqi resources The Central Cannon The sharp alternative How the elephant moves Two points diagonally, blockable All openings The opening reference ## Put it into practice Play a game against the computer or a real opponent. It is free, it starts instantly, and there is nothing to install.