Janggi

Play Janggi

About the game

Janggi is the traditional Korean board game in which Cho and Han use each piece's unique movement to trap the opposing general in checkmate. Play against the computer at four levels (Beginner, Easy, Medium, Hard) or with a friend on the same device. Traditional rules apply, including cannon jumps, blocked horse and elephant paths, and the palace, and Cho always moves first.

How to play

  • Mobile: tap one of your pieces to show its legal moves as green dots (capturable spots get a green ring), then tap a spot to move.
  • Desktop: click a piece and then its destination. You can also move with Tab and select with Enter.
  • Tap the selected piece again to deselect it.
  • On the start screen, choose Play vs Computer to pick your side (Cho / Han / Random) and level (Beginner / Easy / Medium / Hard), or Two Players to start right away.
  • Bottom buttons: Pass (not allowed while in check), Undo (against the computer, its reply is undone too), Resign, and New game. Tap Menu at the top-left to return to the start screen.

Tips

  • The chariot (車) is your strongest piece. Open lines for it early, but don't lose it cheaply.
  • The cannon (包) must jump over exactly one piece to move, and cannons can't jump over or capture each other. Keep track of which pieces can serve as its screen.
  • Horses (馬) and elephants (象) are blocked when a piece sits on their path. Block your opponent's paths to limit their mobility.
  • The general and guards can't leave the palace. Keep your guards close, and if you see a red ring around your general, you're in check — get out of it first.
  • If you choose Han against the computer, the board flips so your side is at the bottom, and the computer (Cho) moves first.

FAQ

Is it free? Do I need to install anything?

It's free and plays right in your browser with no installation, on both mobile and desktop.

How do you win?

Put the opposing general in check with no way to escape (checkmate) to win. If a player resigns, the other side wins. You can't make a move that leaves your own general in check.

Can I change the starting setup?

Not at the moment. Both sides start from a fixed setup with horses and elephants in set positions; there's no option to choose a different arrangement.

Are games or records saved?

No. Games in progress and results aren't saved, so refreshing the page starts over.