PlayfuloJANGGI

Board game

Janggi (Korean Chess)

How would you like to play?

9×10 · Cho first · Korea Janggi Association rules · mate

Janggi (Korean Chess) guide

What is this game?

Playfulo Janggi is Korean chess on a 9×10 point board. Checkmate the opponent's king (외통수). Play against AI or a friend with no sign-up.

We follow Korea Janggi Association movement: Cho (green) moves first, cannons must jump exactly one piece, and palace diagonal lines are used. Win/loss play (checkmate, bikjang, repetition, pass) — not tournament point scoring.

The default setup is inner elephants (원앙마). In AI and friend games you can also pick left, right, or outer elephants. In friend matches each side chooses their own setup, then both ready up to start. Easy, normal, and hard plus friend invites are available.

How to play

Cho moves first. Checkmate (외통수) the opponent's king to win. The king is never captured.

  • Chariot: rook-like. Horse: 日-shape, blocked by the adjacent square. Elephant: 用-shape. Soldiers move forward or sideways, never back. King and guards stay in the palace, one point at a time.
  • A cannon must jump exactly one piece to move or capture, and cannot jump or capture another cannon. Chariots and cannons may also follow palace diagonals.
  • If the two kings face each other on an open file (빅장) and the side to move cannot break it, the game is a draw.
  • If you have no legal move and are not in check, you pass (한수쉼). Two passes in a row, or threefold repetition, are draws.

Controls

  • Select a piece to display legal intersections, then select a destination to move.
  • Choose a starting formation before an AI game. During check, only moves that save the general are enabled.
  • Join friend games by invite link and move within the turn timer; a player with no legal move takes a pass.

Strategy tips

  • Develop horses and elephants without emptying the center and palace defense at the same time.
  • A cannon always needs a screen, so the position of the screening piece changes both attack and defense.
  • A chariot is strongest on an open line but can be trapped deep in enemy territory; restrict escape squares before repeating checks.

Difficulty differences

Easy randomly chooses from a lower-rated candidate pool and can miss an immediate mate. Normal searches one ply, while Hard searches two plies for checks, exchanges, and palace safety.

Common beginner mistakes

  • Emptying the palace while chasing with chariot/cannon invites counterattacks.
  • Spending soldiers too fast leaves a weak midgame — advance line by line.
  • Blocking elephant/horse paths leaves them stranded — open routes first.

FAQ

Can I play janggi (Korean chess) online for free?

Yes. Play Korean janggi against AI on Playfulo for free with no sign-up. Easy, normal, and hard plus friend multiplayer are available.

What janggi rules are used here?

Cho moves first on a 9×10 board. Checkmate wins. Cannons must jump one piece and cannot capture cannons. Bikjang, consecutive passes, and threefold repetition are draws. Playfulo follows Korea Janggi Association movement in win/loss play.

Can I play janggi with a friend?

Yes. Create a room and share the invite link. The host plays Cho (first). After joining, each side picks their elephant setup and readies up to start. Setup and each move have a 60-second limit; if setup time runs out, the game starts with the current setups. The winner of a game plays Cho next.