Rules encyclopedia and annotated records
Learn Chinese board games by reading the record.
Compare rules, positions, and teaching records for Xiangqi, Gomoku, Go, Chinese Checkers, Mahjong strategy, and traditional games.
Rules encyclopedia
Start with the rule boundary, then read the record.
Each game family has a rules source, a notation format, and a first archive path. Use this table when you need rules before examples.
XiangqiWorld Xiangqi RulesPiece-file notation · 44 lessonsGomokuOfficial Documents of RIFGrid-coordinate threat notation · 44 lessonsChinese CheckersRules of Chinese CheckersRoute and jump notation · 44 lessonsGo / WeiqiLearn to Play GoBlack/White coordinate notation · 42 lessonsMahjong StrategyMahjong Competition RulesDraw-discard tile notation · 42 lessonsCheckers VariantsOfficial FMJD Rules for International DraughtsNumbered-square move and capture notation · 42 lessonsTraditional GamesHow to Play Dou Shou QiPiece-coordinate route notation · 42 lessons
Record level quick reference
What changes when a record gets harder?
Use the level shape before opening a lesson: pick the record length, decision load, and mistake pattern that matches the kind of reading you want to practice next.
Beginner records6 annotated entries
- Branch load
- Single line, no side branch.
- Candidates
- 1 plan + 1 reject.
- Reading method
- Name the rule square, read the reply, then test the first mistake.
- Review task
- Replay the first two moves and say why the attractive move fails.
- Typical mistake
- Following the obvious move before the legal-move cue is stable.
- Branch load
- Main line plus reply branch.
- Candidates
- 2 candidate replies.
- Reading method
- Compare the first branch with the repair branch before trusting tempo.
- Review task
- Write which reply changes timing, safety, or shape before reading the note.
- Typical mistake
- Answering locally while the larger route or shape problem remains.
- Branch load
- Forcing branch, quiet move, and conversion.
- Candidates
- 3+ candidate points.
- Reading method
- Track the hidden threat, the quiet preparation, and the final conversion.
- Review task
- Mark where pressure turns into conversion, then compare a real record source.
- Typical mistake
- Blocking the visible threat while missing the second-layer point.
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Filter by game family, record level, notation, or topic before opening a full guide page.
Xiangqi / beginner / Teaching recordsXiangqi Beginner First-Plan Record: Red C8=5 River Lane
1. Red C8=5 | Black H7+7A beginner first plan: river lane record should feel inspectable: one board cue, one first plan around Red C8=5, and one reply that shows why the tempting move is unsafe. Board cue: red cannon file 8, black horse file 7, and rook file 8. Rule check: the cannon screen, horse leg, river, and palace guard constraints. The notation uses Xiangqi algebraic piece-file notation. The first two entries are 1. Red C8=5 | Black H7+7; 2. Red H3+3 | Black R8=6, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.Go / Weiqi / intermediate / Teaching recordsGo / Weiqi Intermediate Reply Record: B K4 Shape Lesson Turn1. B C6 | W R14For intermediate readers, this Go / Weiqi turning point: shape lesson record is long enough to expose a reply sequence but still narrow enough to keep liberty count, connection, and sente/gote order in view. Board cue: corner approach at C6, pincer at Q10, and cut point near F3. Rule check: liberty count, connection, and sente/gote order. The notation uses Go board coordinates with Black/White turns. The first two entries are 1. B C6 | W R14; 2. B K4 | W Q10, which keeps the explanation tied to candidate moves, tempo, defensive replies, and the moment the plan changes.Gomoku / advanced / Teaching recordsGomoku Advanced Threat Record: Black K8 Center Route1. Black G8 | White J8The advanced shape here layers a branch, a quiet move, and a finish; Black K8 is only useful if the later reply still supports the plan. Board cue: center stones around G8, open-three lane I9-K8, and defensive point J9. Rule check: open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. The notation uses Gomoku grid coordinates. The first two entries are 1. Black G8 | White J8; 2. Black I9 | White F8, which keeps the explanation tied to variation discipline, layered threats, quiet preparation, and clean conversion.Mahjong Strategy / beginner / Teaching recordsMahjong Beginner First-Plan Record: Discard 7m Safe Reply1. Draw 9p, discard 7mFor beginner readers, this tile hand-building first plan: safe reply fragment keeps the line short enough to replay aloud while still naming draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. Board cue: hand blocks around North-2s, isolated 7m, and visible discard 3p. Rule check: draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. The notation uses Mahjong draw-discard tile notation. The first two entries are 1. Draw 9p, discard 7m; 2. Left discards 3p, draw Red Dragon, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.Xiangqi / beginner / Teaching recordsXiangqi Beginner First-Plan Record: Red C6=5 Safe Reply1. Red C6=5 | Black H8+7A beginner first plan: safe reply record should feel inspectable: one board cue, one first plan around Red C6=5, and one reply that shows why the tempting move is unsafe. Board cue: red cannon file 6, black horse file 8, and rook file 8. Rule check: the cannon screen, horse leg, river, and palace guard constraints. The notation uses Xiangqi algebraic piece-file notation. The first two entries are 1. Red C6=5 | Black H8+7; 2. Red H3+3 | Black R8=6, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.Go / Weiqi / intermediate / Teaching recordsGo / Weiqi Intermediate Reply Record: B K16 Corner Pressure Turn1. B F3 | W C10The intermediate shape here is a candidate-move comparison: the reader must decide whether B K16 keeps tempo after W N17. Board cue: corner approach at F3, pincer at N17, and cut point near J10. Rule check: liberty count, connection, and sente/gote order. The notation uses Go board coordinates with Black/White turns. The first two entries are 1. B F3 | W C10; 2. B K16 | W N17, which keeps the explanation tied to candidate moves, tempo, defensive replies, and the moment the plan changes.Gomoku / advanced / Teaching recordsGomoku Advanced Threat Record: Black L8 Route Repair1. Black K8 | White J9The advanced shape here layers a branch, a quiet move, and a finish; Black L8 is only useful if the later reply still supports the plan. Board cue: center stones around K8, open-three lane E8-L8, and defensive point H8. Rule check: open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. The notation uses Gomoku grid coordinates. The first two entries are 1. Black K8 | White J9; 2. Black E8 | White K9, which keeps the explanation tied to variation discipline, layered threats, quiet preparation, and clean conversion.Mahjong Strategy / beginner / Teaching recordsMahjong Beginner First-Plan Record: Discard Red Dragon River Lane1. Draw 3p, discard Red DragonFor beginner readers, this tile hand-building first plan: river lane fragment keeps the line short enough to replay aloud while still naming draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. Board cue: hand blocks around 8s-6p, isolated Red Dragon, and visible discard West. Rule check: draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. The notation uses Mahjong draw-discard tile notation. The first two entries are 1. Draw 3p, discard Red Dragon; 2. Left discards West, draw 5s, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.Xiangqi / beginner / RulesXiangqi Beginner Rules: River Lane Setup with Red C7=51. Red C7=5 | Black H6+7This beginner Xiangqi river lane rule card starts from the rules rather than the move list: setup and win condition define the goal, legal move and turn order define the allowed line, and the notation bridge explains 1. Red C7=5 | Black H6+7; 2. Red H3+3 | Black R8=6. The short line 1. Red C7=5 | Black H6+7; 2. Red H3+3 | Black R8=6 is included only to make the rule concrete. Board cue: red cannon file 7, black horse file 6, and rook file 8. Rule check: the cannon screen, horse leg, river, and palace guard constraints. It does not replace the source rules.Xiangqi / beginner / RulesXiangqi Beginner Rules: Center Route Setup with Red C4=51. Red C4=5 | Black H8+7For beginner Xiangqi readers opening the center route rule card, the page should answer the rules question first: what is the setup, how is the game won, which move is legal, whose turn is next, and what variant boundary changes the record? The short line 1. Red C4=5 | Black H8+7; 2. Red H7+3 | Black R1=8 is included only to make the rule concrete. Board cue: red cannon file 4, black horse file 8, and rook file 1. Rule check: the cannon screen, horse leg, river, and palace guard constraints. It does not replace the source rules.Gomoku / beginner / RulesGomoku Beginner Rules: Center Route Setup with Black G81. Black L8 | White H8The beginner Gomoku center route rule card is built as an encyclopedia checkpoint: setup, win condition, legal move, turn order, notation bridge, common rule trap, and record-reading bridge all point back to open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. The short line 1. Black L8 | White H8; 2. Black H9 | White I8 is included only to make the rule concrete. Board cue: center stones around L8, open-three lane H9-G8, and defensive point J8. Rule check: open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. It does not replace the source rules.Gomoku / beginner / RulesGomoku Beginner Rules: Corner Pressure Setup with Black J81. Black H8 | White H9A beginner Gomoku corner pressure rule card should read like a compact encyclopedia entry before it reads like a lesson: setup, win condition, legal move, turn order, notation bridge, common rule trap, variant boundary, then record-reading bridge. The short line 1. Black H8 | White H9; 2. Black I8 | White G8 is included only to make the rule concrete. Board cue: center stones around H8, open-three lane I8-J8, and defensive point I9. Rule check: open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. It does not replace the source rules.Choose a game family
Each family combines rules, annotated records, opening ideas, endgame notes, and teaching resources.
Read by record level
Different levels have different record shapes. The pages make those differences explicit.
Beginner
Beginner Annotated Records
Short records with visible goals, obvious mistakes, and rule-first annotations.
IntermediateIntermediate Annotated Records
Records with competing plans, turning points, and candidate-move explanations.
AdvancedAdvanced Annotated Records
Dense records with layered plans, precise endings, and professional-style notes.
Reference NotesAll-Level Reference Notes
Rules, notation formats, finishing patterns, and strategy concepts that help readers compare record lessons across levels.
Representative record lessons
Sample pages show the intended article format before opening the full archive.
XiangqiXiangqi Beginner First-Plan Record: Red C8=5 River LaneA beginner first plan: river lane record should feel inspectable: one board cue, one first plan around Red C8=5, and one reply that shows why the tempting move is unsafe. Board cue: red cannon file 8, black horse file 7, and rook file 8. Rule check: the cannon screen, horse leg, river, and palace guard constraints. The notation uses Xiangqi algebraic piece-file notation. The first two entries are 1. Red C8=5 | Black H7+7; 2. Red H3+3 | Black R8=6, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.Go / WeiqiGo / Weiqi Intermediate Reply Record: B K4 Shape Lesson TurnFor intermediate readers, this Go / Weiqi turning point: shape lesson record is long enough to expose a reply sequence but still narrow enough to keep liberty count, connection, and sente/gote order in view. Board cue: corner approach at C6, pincer at Q10, and cut point near F3. Rule check: liberty count, connection, and sente/gote order. The notation uses Go board coordinates with Black/White turns. The first two entries are 1. B C6 | W R14; 2. B K4 | W Q10, which keeps the explanation tied to candidate moves, tempo, defensive replies, and the moment the plan changes.GomokuGomoku Advanced Threat Record: Black K8 Center RouteThe advanced shape here layers a branch, a quiet move, and a finish; Black K8 is only useful if the later reply still supports the plan. Board cue: center stones around G8, open-three lane I9-K8, and defensive point J9. Rule check: open three, broken three, open four, and double-threat timing. The notation uses Gomoku grid coordinates. The first two entries are 1. Black G8 | White J8; 2. Black I9 | White F8, which keeps the explanation tied to variation discipline, layered threats, quiet preparation, and clean conversion.Mahjong StrategyMahjong Beginner First-Plan Record: Discard 7m Safe ReplyFor beginner readers, this tile hand-building first plan: safe reply fragment keeps the line short enough to replay aloud while still naming draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. Board cue: hand blocks around North-2s, isolated 7m, and visible discard 3p. Rule check: draw, discard, sequence, pair, visible discard, and safety information. The notation uses Mahjong draw-discard tile notation. The first two entries are 1. Draw 9p, discard 7m; 2. Left discards 3p, draw Red Dragon, which keeps the explanation tied to visible goals, obvious mistakes, and a record line that can be replayed without a live board.