Detailed user guide
How to use the 3D Chinese chess board
If this is your first visit, follow the sequence below. Every move is checked against Xiangqi rules, and glowing destinations show where the selected piece can legally move.
Choose a mode and difficulty
In the mode panel, choose Play Red, Play Black, or Manual for local hot-seat play on one device. Against AI, select Beginner, Advanced, or Master difficulty; when you play Black, the AI moves first.
Select a piece and a legal destination
Click one of your pieces to reveal its legal destinations, then click a glowing square to move. Click another friendly piece to change the selection. On an AI turn, the board shows a thinking state and the engine moves automatically.
Orbit, zoom, and change the camera
On desktop, hold the left mouse button and drag to orbit around the board; use the wheel to zoom. The Top, 3D, and Edge presets change the composition quickly, while Reset View returns to a comfortable default angle.
Review, save, and continue a position
Open History and select any move to return to that position, then use Undo and Redo to compare lines. Copy FEN to save the current position and Load FEN to restore one; the board editor is useful for custom openings and endgames.
Mouse and touch controls
The 3D scene uses standard orbit-camera controls; no plug-in or installation is required.
Orbit the board
On a computer, hold the left mouse button and drag in any direction to inspect the board. Release to stop. Orbiting changes the camera only; it never changes the board orientation or the game.
Zoom the board
Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. On a phone or tablet, pinch with two fingers to zoom and drag with one finger to orbit. If the browser captures a gesture, tap the board once and try again.
Return to a useful angle
Top View is best for reading moves, 3D View emphasizes board depth and lighting, and Edge View creates a low-angle presentation for effects. Reset View clears manual orbit and zoom.
Keyboard controls and accessible play
You can select and move pieces without a mouse. Move keyboard focus to the board first, then use these keys:
Focus the board
Press Tab to move through page controls until the 3D board shows a focus ring, or click the board once before starting keyboard input.
Move the cursor
Use ↑, ↓, ←, and → to move across the 10-by-9 board. Home and End jump to the ends of the current row. After flipping or mirroring the board, the arrows follow the visual direction on screen.
Select and move
Press Enter or Space to select the friendly piece under the cursor. Move to a glowing legal destination and press Enter or Space again. Illegal squares do nothing and do not clear the current selection.
Scene themes and capture effects
Effects provide feedback and atmosphere only. They never change the rules, engine calculation, or game data, and can be adjusted at any time.
Ocean platform, Cloudland, and Ink mountains
Scene themes change the background, fog, lights, and platform atmosphere. They do not change board coordinates or legal moves.
Cannon: projectile, explosion, and shockwave
A cannon capture shows a projectile travelling along the attack line, an explosion on impact, and an expanding shockwave that makes the cannon’s screen path easy to read.
Horse: a rule-aware 日-shaped energy slash
A horse capture uses an energy slash that follows the horse’s two-step bend and still respects the horse-leg blocking rule.
Rook: straight energy corridor and impact wall
A rook capture creates a straight energy corridor and a rectangular impact response, echoing the rook’s horizontal and vertical attack lines.
Four quality settings
Smart Cinematic shortens repeated special captures; Full Cinematic plays the complete light, particle, knockback, and camera response; Light Effects suits mobile devices; Off keeps clear, fast basic move feedback.
A complete workflow from play to review
Start with local two-player mode to learn the board, then switch to Pikafish AI to examine a position. History, the cloud book, FEN import/export, flip, and mirror make the same position useful for both casual play and serious review. The 3D page shares move rules and FEN logic with Sachess’s 2D board.
An early, continuously evolving browser-native 3D experience
Among publicly discoverable comparable web experiences, Sachess is one of the earlier projects to bring a rotatable WebGL 2 board, in-browser Pikafish AI, local two-player play, FEN, and review tools together on one page. We focus on verifiable advantages: 3D assets stay isolated from the homepage, rules match the 2D board, no download is required, and visual quality adapts to device capability.
Compatibility, performance, and data
The page requires WebGL 2 in a modern browser. Lower-end devices automatically reduce particles, shadows, and post-processing; this changes visual quality only, not legal moves, AI settings, or game data. 3D assets load on demand on this page and do not slow the homepage. If WebGL 2 cannot start, return to the lightweight 2D board.
3D Chinese chess frequently asked questions
Do I need to download or install anything?
No. The 3D board runs directly in a modern browser with WebGL 2 support, loading this page’s assets on demand the first time you use it.
Can I play on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Drag with one finger to orbit, pinch with two fingers to zoom, and tap a piece and a glowing destination to move. WebGL 2 performance varies, so visual effects may be reduced automatically.
Can dragging the mouse accidentally make a move?
Orbiting is handled as a drag gesture. Selecting and moving requires a click on a piece or board square, and every move still passes legal-move validation.
How do I continue from my own game?
Copy or export a FEN that includes history and paste it into Load FEN. You can also use the board editor to set up a position and choose the side to move.
Will the 3D page slow down the homepage?
No. The 3D scripts, scene, and assets are isolated to this page and are not preloaded on the homepage.