Xiangqi tactics
Most xiangqi games below master level are decided by a tactic, not a plan. The patterns are recognisable and finite, and the confined general makes them sharper than their chess equivalents: a defender with nowhere to run turns an ordinary double attack into a forced mate.
Core patterns
Checkmate patterns
Winning material
Practise them
Being written
天地炮, 铁门栓 and the horse mates (卧槽马, 挂角马) are still to come. Each needs a position the solver can both find and classify, which is why they are not here yet.
Related questions
What are the most important tactics in xiangqi?
Forks — especially by the horse — discovered attacks using a cannon's screen, and mating patterns against a general stripped of its advisors. Because the general cannot leave the palace, mating nets are more forcing than in western chess.
How do I get better at xiangqi tactics?
Solve positions daily and, when you miss one, work out which pattern you failed to see rather than just noting the answer. Reviewing your own losses is more valuable than any puzzle set, because it shows the patterns you personally miss.
Learn it on the board
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