#screen horses

Openings

The Screen Horses Defense: Black's Most Solid Answer to the Central Cannon, How to Set It Up and How to Play From It

The Screen Horses (Bình phong Mã) is Black's classic reply to the Central Cannon. How to build it, what each piece does, typical plans, and mistakes to avoid.

28/09/2026 5 min read

Openings

Choosing a Xiangqi Opening Repertoire: One Plan for Red, Two Answers for Black, and How to Grow It Without Memorizing Lines

How to build a small, practical xiangqi opening repertoire: pick one Red system, two Black replies, learn the ideas behind them, and expand only when games dema

28/09/2026 5 min read

Openings

The Central Cannon Opening (C2=5): Xiangqi's Most Popular First Move, Its Ideas, Main Replies and Typical Plans

The Central Cannon, C2=5, is xiangqi's most played first move. What it attacks, how Black usually answers, the plans that follow, and the traps to avoid.

28/09/2026 6 min read