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Corean chess, Tjyang Keui, on the whole approximates to the Chinese game and its nomenclature is identical, allowing for the slight variations in pronunciation which have arisen in the course of time. Nothing is known as to the period when the game was introduced into Corea, but the small variations in the existing game would not require any long time for their development. Nor is it known whether there have not been, as in China itself, earlier types that have been superseded by the present game, though the wide difference between Chinese and Japanese chess suggests that this is probable. The present game cannot have been the origin of the present Japanese chess. Our entire information as to Corean chess is due to Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, who contributed the section on chess in Culin’s Korean Games,⁴⁴ and this section is the source of the present account.

CHESSMEN CARVED IN CHINA FOR THE EUROPEAN GAME

From Mr, Platt’s Collection

The design of the chessboard is practically the same as that of the Chinese game; the river, however, is ignored, and the files are carried across it, making the board one of 8 × 9 squares. The board is rather wider than it is long, the width of the squares being increased to facilitate the moves on the base lines. The men are generally octagonal in shape, and differ slightly in size according to their value, the General being larger and the Counsellors and Foot-soldiers smaller than the other men. The men are inscribed with their names, the sides being distinguished by the colour of the ideogram; one side is generally red and the other green.

Corean Chessboard. After Culin.

The following table gives the names, powers, and initial places of the chessmen. It will be noted that the Generals occupy a more advanced post than in Chinese chess. There is, moreover, considerable latitude with regard to the initial places of the Elephants and Horses, the player being allowed to arrange them as he pleases on the squares b1, c1 (b10, c10), and g1, h1 (g10, h10), so long as there are Elephant and Horse on each wing.

I. PIECES CONFINED TO THE NINE-CASTLE.

II. PIECES FREE TO MOVE OVER THE WHOLE BOARD.

The diagonals of the nine-castle fill a more important place in Corean than in Chinese chess. In the latter game they merely help to visualize the extent of the nine-castle; in the former they have caused considerable changes in the movements of the pieces. It is a principle in Corean chess that every piece which is capable of playing along a line into the adjacent point can within the nine-castle play along any marked line. We accordingly find that both General and Counsellor possess the same power of move, a power that varies from point to point. Thus from d1 either can move to d2, e1, e2, since there are marked lines connecting these three points to d1; it is only from e2 that they can move in all eight directions, for that is the only point in the castle from which eight lines are actually drawn. Both Chariot and Foot-soldier possess similar powers in the nine-castle.⁴⁵

As in Chinese chess, two Generals are not allowed to be upon the same file unless there are intervening pieces. Corean chess, however, extends certain privileges to the weaker side. If one player has an overpowering advantage, the weaker player is permitted to give check to his opponent by playing his General on to the file commanded by the latter’s General. By so doing the player is considered to confess his inferiority, and he is not allowed to do more than draw.⁴⁶ A game is considered drawn if the mating piece is only defended by the General.⁴⁷ A ‘bare’ General is not obliged to move at all. In this case the player simply turns his General over when it is his turn to play.⁴⁸

The Cannon requires a screen if he is to move at all. In this he differs from the Chinese Cannon. Thus in the position—

Green: Ke1, Ra7, Ca6, Ktc7, Pc6.

Red: Kf10, Qe10, Ktc3, Be9, Pd3;

the Cannon has two screens, viz. Ra7 and Pc6. He may accordingly move forwards to any of a8, a9, or a10—from the last of these he gives check, the red Qe10 providing the necessary screen; or horizontally to any of d6, e6, f6, g6, h6, or i6; these are his only moves that are possible. One Cannon can neither use another Cannon as a screen, nor capture another Cannon; but it is permissible to cover check by a Cannon by interposing a Cannon.

All other pieces capture as they move.

The technical term for ‘check’ is tjyang, for ‘mate’ tyousa.

The game accordingly differs from Chinese chess in a good many points: in the absence of the river, in the initial position of the General, in the liberty to place the Elephant and Horse differently, in the moves of the Elephant, Cannon, and Foot-soldier, in the greater freedom of move in the nine-castle, and in the privileges accorded to the weaker player. Mr. Wilkinson notes that there appear to be no native works on the game, and no collections of problems. ‘Chess is regarded as a somewhat frivolous pastime, suitable for young persons and rustics. The educated Korean, deeply imbued as he is with Chinese sympathies, affects to prefer Patok,’ i.e. Wei-k‘i.

It is usual to concede the first move to the weaker player, which shows that the opener is considered to have some advantage. As a general rule, the game is commenced by Pb4 or Ph4, or Kt in order to facilitate the early play of the Cannon.

The following example of Corean chess is taken from Culin; for the sake of uniformity the notation has been altered. The Elephants (B) are to be placed upon c1, h1, b10, g10