2014-07-18

【Aiden in English】

        Chess is very hard. It uses knowledge for battle strategies and predicts the opponent's moves. Chinese Chess needs the exactly same skills, just with a few different pieces. There are 1 general/marshal (king/queen), 2 advisors/guards, 2 horses (knights), 2 elephants/ministers (bishops), 2 chariots (rooks), 2 cannons, 5 pawns/soldiers (8 pawns) in black and red pieces of Chinese Chess over its counterpart. I didn't enjoy playing it until I was physically in the summer camp of Guanghua Chinese School.

        First of all, the horse can't jump over the pieces if there's one in front of it. In regular Chess, the horse would probably be number two on the most favored list and can go any place without hesitation. Also, the elephant can't go past the half board across the Chu-Han river. It only can move 2 spaces at a time, so it's more of a defender.

        There are two brand new pieces. One of them is the Cannon. The cannon must use another piece to attack. It jumps over the 1st piece to attack the one behind it. The other new piece is kind of like a protector of the General or Advisor. You see, in this game the General and the advisor are only allowed to move inside of a fortress. The fortress is 3 by 3 and the General can move up, down, left, and right. His Advisor can move diagonally. Be careful, a Cannon can jump over them to take your General.

        The Chinese Chess is very much like the Chess. It seems as if it has an upgrade, but the layout looks like the same. This is to all you Chess fans out there! Try Chinese Chess and I won't be surprised if you like Chinese Chess better.

【红霞译文】

            国际象棋难搞，难就难在既要运用战术策略，又得事先预估对方走势动向。不独有偶，中国象棋除个别棋子稍有变化外，本质上与同行无大区别。就棋子而论，中国象棋黑红棋手各执一位将／帅(王／后)、两位士／仕、两匹马／傌(骑士)、两头像／相(主教)、两辆车／车(城堡)、两个炮／炮、分别五位卒／兵(八位士兵)。我来到宾州光华中文学校参加夏令营以后，才真正喜欢上了中国象棋。

            首先，中国象棋的马／傌行日，不可跳越其它棋子﹔而在国际象棋则不同，这就是为什么骑士大概是第二个最受人欢迎的棋子。另外，象／相走田，绝不允许渡过“楚河汉界”纵穿半部棋盘，如同一位后卫严守驻地。

            中国象棋里有两个棋子是国际象棋所没有的。其中之一是炮／炮，必须借助另一棋子才能达到进攻的目的。它先要跳过目标(棋子)，然后才能干掉这个牺牲品。其中之二是具有保护将／帅作用的士／仕。将／帅和士／仕只能呆在三乘三“九宫”矩阵之内，将／帅可以上下左右直行，士／仕成对角线方向斜移。一定要当心炮／炮乘虚而入，它会隔空吃掉将／帅。

            中国象棋与国际象棋非常相像，虽说看上去前者档次比后者稍高一点，但实际上布局阵势差不多。因此敬请国际象棋爱好者注意，你们不妨尝试一下中国象棋。如我所料，有朝一日你们定会更喜欢中国象棋。