The pin
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
A piece is pinned when moving it is either illegal or loses something more valuable standing behind it. Xiangqi has one pin western chess does not have: any piece sitting on the open file between the two generals is frozen, because moving it would leave the generals facing each other, which the rules forbid.
The pin only xiangqi has
The two generals may never see each other down a clear file. That single rule creates a pin no other game has: a piece standing between them cannot move at all, in any direction, no matter how many squares it appears to have.
The black horse below looks free. Ask the engine and it has nowhere to go.
Black to move. Try to move the horse anywhere at all.
Xiangqi position. Red: general e0. Black: general e9, horse e5. Black to move.
Turning a pin into material
A pinned piece is not just stuck, it is undefended in practice, because it cannot run and often cannot be helped. Two ways to cash that in:
- Attack it again. The pinned piece cannot move, so a second attacker wins it outright unless the defender can add a second guard.
- Pile on the square, not the piece. If the pinned piece is defended, attack the point it stands on with something the defender cannot afford to trade.
Cannons pin unusually well. A cannon needs a screen to capture, so a piece in front of an enemy chariot or general is often held in place by the threat of what happens the moment it steps aside.
Getting out of one
Three ways out, in the order worth checking:
- Move the piece behind. A pin against the general on an open file ends the moment the general steps off that file, and the general has a spare point in the palace far more often than people look for.
- Put something else in the line. Adding a second piece between the generals releases the first one. Two pieces on the file means neither is frozen, because removing one still leaves a screen.
- Counter-attack. If the pin costs you a horse in three moves and your own threat mates in two, the pin is not a problem.
Common mistakes
Assuming the pin holds forever
A general has other points in the palace. Check every move whether the general can simply step aside and free the piece you were counting on being frozen.
Pinning a piece you cannot attack again
A pin wins nothing on its own. Before you play it, know what the second attacker is going to be.
Blocking the file with your own piece
Putting a second piece between the generals releases the pin you created. Keep the file between them clear of everything except the piece you are freezing.
Related questions
What is a pin in xiangqi?
A piece that cannot move, either because moving it is illegal or because it would expose something more valuable behind it. The strongest version comes from the flying general rule: a piece alone between the two generals is frozen completely.
Can a pinned piece still give check?
No. If moving the piece would be illegal, then every move it has is illegal, including a checking one. A piece pinned between the generals is out of the game until the pin is broken.
Is the pin the same as in chess?
The idea is the same and the mechanics differ. Chess pins run along the lines of the queen, rook and bishop. Xiangqi pins run along chariot and cannon lines, plus the general file, and the cannon's need for a screen makes some pins appear and vanish as pieces move.
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