Sachess Help: How to Use Every Xiangqi Feature | Chinese Chess

Open the board and choose a mode

The homepage is a full board and analysis panel. Start with vs-engine (as red or black), free manual setup, or AI auto-play.

1. Open the homepage; the board and side panel are ready to use (on mobile they sit at the bottom).
2. In the Mode area choose: vs engine as red, vs engine as black, manual free setup, or AI auto-play.
3. Click a piece to select it, then click its destination; click New Game to restart anytime.

Core tools need no registration

Core tools are free and work without registration or a download; an optional Smart Link account syncs selected data and saved games across devices.

1. Open any tool page and use it immediately.
2. Progress and board preferences are saved locally in your browser.
3. Use email Smart Link only when you want cross-device sync.

Smart Link sign-up: keep your browser data with your account

Sign in with an email Smart Link, with no password to create or remember. After signing up, you can sync interface, board and piece preferences, sound, engine settings, and puzzle progress from this browser to your account. You can also save complete games from the home board or a friends room, then open, download, or delete them in My Games. Daily puzzles can link the current browser identity to your email account so your check-in data can be kept long term.

1. Choose email sign-in, enter your email, open the one-time link, and click the confirmation button.
2. Open the account page and choose Sync local data to save settings and puzzle progress; on another device, choose Load account data to restore them to that browser.
3. On the home board or in a friends room, click Save to account and enter a title; manage the game later in My Games.
4. For Daily Puzzles, follow the signed-in claim flow to link the current browser identity. A public player ID is not a password, and a sign-in link should never be forwarded.

Offline use and install to home screen

After the engine loads, basic analysis works offline; the site can be installed as a PWA.

1. Let the engine finish loading on first use.
2. On your phone use the browser menu and choose Add to Home Screen.
3. Review, position analysis, and board editing keep working without a network.

URL shortcuts

URL parameters load a position or start analysis directly: ?fen= loads a position and ?analysis=1 starts the AI automatically.

1. Append ?fen=<encoded FEN> to the homepage or FEN page URL to open that exact position.
2. Add ?analysis=1 to auto-start engine analysis when the page opens.
3. Use ?mode=editor to open a shared FEN directly in the editor.

What is 3D Chinese chess?

The 3D page uses an isolated Three.js scene for the redwood board, solid pieces, real-time lighting, and cinematic feedback. It does not add 3D scripts or image requests to the homepage. The move rules, FEN history, and Pikafish AI remain the same as on the lightweight 2D board.

1. Open the 3D Chinese Chess page and wait for the WebGL scene and board to finish loading.
2. Choose human vs AI or local two-player hot-seat mode, or simply explore the default opening position.
3. If the device cannot run WebGL 2, use the page's 2D board link to keep playing.

Top, angled, and edge camera views

The 3D page has top, angled, and edge presets. Top view feels close to a 2D board, angled view shows the board thickness and museum lighting, and edge view looks along the board surface so the pieces feel more suspended in space.

1. Choose Top View for a complete board close to the traditional 2D reading angle.
2. Choose 3D View to return to the default 45-degree museum composition.
3. Choose Edge View for the low-angle floating effect; drag with the mouse to orbit and use the wheel to zoom.

Play on the 3D board

The 3D page supports playing Red or Black against AI, local two-player hot-seat, AI difficulty levels, legal-move hints, board flip and mirror, FEN import/export, undo, and history replay. After selecting a piece, glowing points show its legal destinations.

1. Choose Play Red or Play Black in the right panel, or choose Manual for local two-player play.
2. Click one of your pieces, then click a glowing legal destination; move validation reuses Sachess's mature Xiangqi rules.
3. Use History to review moves, Flip or Mirror to change the reading direction, and FEN controls to save or restore a position.

Capture effects and quality modes

Cannon captures use a projectile, explosion, and shockwave; horse captures use a rule-aware “horse moves in a 日 shape” energy slash; rook captures use a straight energy corridor and rectangular impact wall. Other pieces keep the standard capture presentation. Smart Cinematic mode shortens repeated special captures, while Full Cinematic always shows the complete performance.

1. In Thinking Details, choose Smart Cinematic, Full Cinematic, Light Effects, or Off under Capture Effects.
2. Choose Full Cinematic to see the complete light, particle, knockback, and camera feedback for horse, rook, and cannon captures.
3. Lower-end devices automatically reduce particles and post-processing; this changes visual quality only, not rules, AI, or game data.

Start and stop infinite AI analysis

Click Start Infinite Thinking to let Pikafish keep analyzing the current position; click again to stop.

1. Load a position on the board (paste a FEN or just make moves).
2. Click Start Infinite Thinking; the engine keeps thinking and updates the best move.
3. Click the same button again to stop.

Best move and hint arrow

While analyzing, the board shows an arrow for the engine best move so you can spot the key line quickly.

1. After starting analysis, read the best move in Thinking Details.
2. Enable Show Best Move Arrow and a hint arrow appears on the board.
3. Turn the arrow off anytime to see the list only.

Thinking details: candidate moves, depth, score

The Thinking Details panel shows candidate moves, search depth, red-perspective score, and the best line.

1. After starting analysis, open the Thinking tab.
2. Review the candidate list, depth, and scores.
3. Read How to Read Engine Scores to understand the numbers.

Evaluation bar

The vertical bar beside the board shows the current red/black advantage ratio and score.

1. Start analysis and watch the bar update as the engine searches.
2. A positive number favors Red; a negative one favors Black.

Engine settings: threads, depth, time, rules

Adjust threads, search mode, depth, time, and repetition rules in the settings dialog.

1. Click the gear icon in the top toolbar to open Settings.
2. Adjust threads, depth-first or time-first mode, and the depth/time level.
3. Choose Asian rules or Chinese rules and save.

How to read engine scores

Scores are relative judgments, not absolute conclusions; understanding swings and candidates helps your review.

1. Open the How to Read Engine Scores guide.
2. Learn what the sign, the magnitude, and the swings mean.
3. Practice on the analysis page.

Open the cloud book

Open the cloud panel to see the most common moves for the current position with scores and win rates.

Note: Privacy: the current position FEN is sent to the third-party ChessDB cloud book; do not submit sensitive games.

1. Click the Cloud tab in the side panel (tap Cloud in the bottom dock on mobile).
2. The panel queries the current position and shows common moves, scores, and win rates.
3. Click a row to play that move on the board.

Cloud book vs engine

The cloud book shows real game samples; the engine judges the position itself. Looking at both is safer.

1. Read Cloud Book vs Engine to understand the difference.
2. When analyzing, turn on both the cloud and the engine to compare.

Opening analysis

Analyze openings with the cloud book plus the engine: main lines, sidelines, and opening mistakes at a glance.

1. Open the Opening Analysis page.
2. Load your opening position and review the main lines with cloud data.
3. Use the engine to verify sidelines.

History playback and notation switching

The History panel jumps to the start, previous, next, and last move, and switches between UCI, Chinese, and Traditional notation.

1. Load a FEN with history (including moves) or just make a few moves.
2. Open the History tab and use the top buttons to jump to start, previous, next, or end.
3. Click a move to jump to that node; use the notation switcher to pick UCI or Chinese.

Chinese move list → blunder check

For per-move scoring of a whole game, use the Blunder Checker. The Analysis page input parses a move list and opens the final position for single-position AI analysis.

1. Copy a Chinese move list starting from the standard position.
2. Open the Blunder Checker and paste the move list; do not submit a private game to the cloud service.
3. Start analysis to review every score, best move, and mistake label. Use the Analysis input only when you want the final position.

Full-game blunder check

Enter a FEN with moves (or a Chinese move list) and compare each move against the best move to find review-worthy nodes.

Note: Privacy: blunder analysis sends the game to the ChessDB cloud book; do not paste private records.

1. Open the Blunder Checker page.
2. Paste a FEN with moves or a Chinese move list and start the analysis.
3. Review the tiers: best, inaccuracy, questionable, mistake, blunder, and the score curve.

Review workflow

Locate the turning points, then check the score changes and the cloud reference to turn review into an actionable checklist.

1. Open the How to Review a Game Fast guide.
2. Follow the flow to locate turning points and classify mistakes.
3. Practice on the analysis page.

Endgame analysis

Use the engine to analyze endgames: win or draw, mating nets, and conversion lines.

1. Open the Endgame Analysis page.
2. Load an endgame position and start analysis.
3. See the engine verdict on the result and the best mating line.

Load and export FEN

Load or export a FEN string from the FEN page or the board for saving and sharing a position.

1. Open the FEN Load and Export page.
2. Paste a FEN in the input box and click Generate Board Image.
3. Click Export FEN on the board to copy the current position.

Understand the FEN format

FEN records the board, side to move, and history in one line — the common way to share positions across platforms.

1. Open the What Is Xiangqi FEN guide.
2. Learn what each field means.
3. Practice loading and exporting on the FEN page.

FEN examples library

Curated examples: the starting position, teaching positions, endgames, and FEN-with-moves review formats — copy and go.

1. Open the FEN Examples page.
2. Copy the example you need.
3. Paste it on the FEN page to generate a board image.

Online position editor

Set up positions online, generate FEN, save them, and jump into AI analysis — great for teaching, puzzles, and review.

1. Open the Position Editor page.
2. Place red and black pieces, or adjust with move/delete/clear tools.
3. Set whose turn it is, then copy the FEN or start analysis.

Photo to FEN to one-click AI analysis

Upload a board photo or screenshot and let it be recognized to FEN; confirm the position, then continue straight into AI analysis.

Note: Privacy: the photo is uploaded to the recognition service; do not upload images containing personal information.

1. Open the Photo to FEN page.
2. Upload or paste a board photo, confirm the board corners, and fix any recognition errors.
3. Click Analyze to open the AI page and start the engine automatically.

Paste FEN to automatic AI analysis

Great for grabbing a FEN from a stream, app, or screenshot and seeing the best move instantly — analysis starts on load.

1. Open the FEN to AI page.
2. Paste a FEN (moves allowed); the page validates the moves, restores history, and starts Pikafish.
3. Read the best move, depth, and score, or revisit a history node and continue analysis.

Generate a board image from FEN

On the FEN page, generate a static board image of any loaded position to save or share.

1. Open a FEN page with the position (a shared link works directly).
2. Click the Board Image button to generate the image.
3. Save or copy the image.

FEN with moves to animated GIF

When the FEN includes a moves sequence, generate an animated GIF replay with move highlights and Chinese notation.

1. Open a FEN share link that contains moves.
2. Click Generate Animated GIF and set speed and loop.
3. Preview and download the GIF.

Play vs engine (as red or black)

Choose vs engine as red or as black and face the in-browser Pikafish engine.

1. Pick red or black in the Mode area.
2. Make a move and the AI answers.
3. Adjust engine strength and thinking time in Settings.

AI auto-play (watch mode)

Choose Auto mode and both sides are played by the AI — ideal for watching and learning.

1. Pick Auto in the Mode area.
2. The engine moves both sides while you watch.
3. Switch to another mode anytime to take over.

Play friends in a room

Create a free room and invite a friend for real-time play — no registration.

1. Open the Play with Friends page and click Create Room.
2. Send the room link or code to your friend.
3. Play once both of you have joined.

Custom time controls, draws, and resign

Choose base time and per-move increment (Fischer) when creating a room; offer a draw or resign during play.

1. Set the time control when creating the room.
2. Offer a draw or resign from the in-game menu.
3. Start a rematch or review after the game ends.

Auto-reconnect and spectating

If your connection drops, the page reconnects automatically; others can watch once a room is full.

1. The page retries automatically on network hiccups.
2. Spectators can join and watch.
3. Unused rooms are cleaned up after a while.

Room chat and spectator interaction

Both players and spectators can use room chat to discuss the position or suggest the next idea.

1. Open the chat area in the room side panel.
2. Type and send a message; spectators can chat but cannot move.
3. Do not share sensitive information in a public room.

Game result and sharing

After a game, start a rematch or review the position, and share the room entry link with a friend.

1. Choose Rematch or Leave from the result area.
2. Copy a FEN when you need to save a position, or open analysis to review key nodes.
3. When sharing a room link, tell your friend whether to join as a player or spectator.

In-room voice and video calls

Only the two players can join an in-browser voice/video call inside the room; spectators can watch but cannot join the call.

Note: Limit: only the two players can join a call; spectators can watch only. Calls are not recorded, and the browser may use TURN relay.

1. As Red or Black, click Join Call in the room side panel and allow the microphone.
2. Turn the camera on or off anytime; spectators do not get call controls.
3. Leaving the call releases your devices. Calls are not recorded, but the browser may use TURN relay.

Classic and new seasons and unlock order

The classic S1-S4 collection has 300 levels; the new S1-S11 collection has 720. Finish one season within its collection to unlock the next; classic and new progress are independent.

1. Open classic S1 or new S1 and start at level 1.
2. Find the winning Red move and advance.
3. Unlock later seasons in order within the selected collection.

Ancient manual: Shi Qing Ya Qu

120 red-to-move mate endgames from the Ming-dynasty manual, independent of the classic and new collections.

1. Open the Shi Qing Ya Qu page.
2. Win each red-to-move mate to advance.
3. Finish Season 1 to unlock Season 2 advanced positions.

Practice mode with ?level=N

Jump straight to any level via the ?level=N URL parameter; practice wins never count toward completion.

1. Add ?level=12 to the challenge page URL to open that level.
2. Practice moves never affect your official progress.

AI engine assist

Stuck on a level? Send its initial FEN to AI analysis in one click to see the best move.

1. Click AI Engine Assist beside the level board.
2. A new tab analyzes that level FEN automatically.

Invite a friend to study

Create a friends room from the current puzzle position and study it together.

1. Click Invite a Friend to Study.
2. Once your friend joins, discuss the position together.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Chu–Han Contention Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Chu–Han Contention screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Seven Warring States Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Seven Warring States screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Romance of the Three Kingdoms I Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Romance of the Three Kingdoms I screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Romance of the Three Kingdoms II Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Romance of the Three Kingdoms II screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties I Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties I screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties II Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties II screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties III Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties III screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty I Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty I screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty II Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty II screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

New Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty III Challenge

Practice the updated Tiantian Xiangqi Golden Age of the Tang Dynasty III screenshot-backed endgames.

1. Open the new challenge page.
2. Find Red's winning move and advance.

Board styles and piece styles

The top toolbar switches between several board styles and piece styles (including text pieces).

1. Click the board/pieces buttons in the top toolbar.
2. Pick a style you like from the menu.
3. Your preference is saved automatically.

Dark and light themes

Switch between dark and light themes in one click.

1. Click the theme button in the top toolbar.
2. Toggle between dark and light.

Sound effects toggle

Mute move, capture, check, and game-end sounds in one click.

1. Click the sound button in the top toolbar.
2. Click again to restore sound.

Flip or mirror the board

Rotate the board 180 degrees or mirror it horizontally for the black-side view or your notation habit.

1. Click Flip Board or Mirror Board in the action area.
2. Click again to restore.

Copy FEN and share links

Copy the current FEN or generate a share link that loads the position in one click.

1. Click Copy FEN on the board or open the share menu.
2. Choose Copy FEN or Generate Share Link.
3. Send it to a friend to open the exact position.

Copy the board image

Render the current board as an image and copy it to the clipboard for documents or chats.

1. Open the share menu and choose Copy Board Image.
2. Paste it into a chat or document.

GIF animation and board image export

See the Position Tools group for generating board images and GIFs from a FEN.

1. Open a FEN share page with a position.
2. Choose to generate an image or a GIF.

How the engine loads and browser requirements

Pikafish runs in the browser via WebAssembly and needs a modern browser with SharedArrayBuffer support.

1. Open the Pikafish docs.
2. Use the latest Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.
3. The engine loads automatically the first time it is needed.

Engine diagnostics panel

When the engine fails, a diagnostics panel shows capability checks, download progress, and an event timeline, with retry and report actions.

1. Open the diagnostics panel when the engine fails.
2. Click Retry to load it again.
3. Wait or continue without the engine, and copy the diagnostics info to report.

Offline engine cache

Engine assets are cached on demand, so basic analysis keeps working offline after the first load.

1. Load the engine successfully once.
2. Basic analysis keeps working without a network afterward.

How to report problems

Use the contact form or the engine diagnostics report so we can locate the issue quickly.

1. Open the About page.
2. Describe the problem in the contact form and attach the diagnostics info.

Chinese chess rules for beginners

From the board layout and piece moves to checkmate and special rules — start here.

1. Open the Chinese Chess Rules guide.
2. Learn the board, the piece moves, and how to win.
3. Learn the common special rules, then practice on the board.

Chinese chess vs international chess

Compare the board, pieces, and win conditions of both games to decide which suits you.

1. Open the comparison article.
2. Understand the board, piece, and rule differences.
3. Pick one to learn first and practice on the board.

Player profiles hub

Browse career timelines, classic games, and interactive replays for grandmasters Wang Tianyi, Hu Ronghua, Xu Yinchuan, and Zheng Weitong.

1. Open the Player Profiles hub.
2. Pick a player to explore their career timeline and selected games.
3. Click a game title to replay it on the interactive board.

Xiangqi engine history

From the earliest chess programs to Pikafish — trace the technical evolution and milestones of Chinese chess AI engines.

1. Open the Engine Development History article.
2. Learn how engines evolved from commercial software to open source.
3. Compare the strengths and achievements of different engines.