Customer Reviews

Chinese Chess Pack

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The set is rather attractive. Plastic pieces alas and thin, but with pictures on one side and Chinese characters on the other which is a plus. Non-magnetic. The book though is quite poor, with little content, diagramming errors, and few actual moves given. The single example game is a series of positions, with no moves given!

Over priced for just a set.

Well, I have been a go (Weiqi or Baduk) player for a while and I was at a book store and found this book, and since I had heard it was similar to go I decided to give it a try and read it, just to try my luck at the game. I looked through the table of contents, Xiangqi, The Rules, The Diffrences between Xiangqi and chess, Troops and Terrain, Opening the game, Tactics, Endgame, Dirty Tricks, Sample Game, Cultural Background, Further Information, so far so good. Well I learned the rules of the game in the first chapter, though there was an error about how to block the elephants eye. I read through the parts on strategy which were very helpful. Then a page in the book fell out, then another and another. It seemed that the pages in the book had been poorly put together. Besides this though it is a great book if you want to learn about chinese chess strategy, and it is small enough to keep in your coat pocket (like I do), even though I need to keep stapling back the pages that fall out. So because of this book I have won the few Xiangqi games I have played in person, and plan to go to China Town too so I can play alot more! I now plan to be an Xiangqi player instead of a go player.

The text and diagrams contain a multitude of errors. To point out just a few:

On p. 14, the author states that the adviser can move to E3, which is of course nonsense.

On p. 39, diagram 12 purports to show the dangers of a premature attack, but does so by placing the elephant on a point it cannot reach!

On p. 50, diagram 5 is supposed to show the filed chariot opening, but in fact red has failed to move his screening cannon and therefore is about to lose his chariot.

On p. 66, both diagrams show a blue soldier at the center of its own fortress, which is impossible. (Evidently this piece was intended to be an adviser.)

On p. 100, it is impossible to tell what the sequence of moves is that supposedly leads to mate in diagram 30. The only combination I can see in the previous diagram begins with chariot x adviser check, but diagram 30 shows both blue advisers still surviving.

I found all these mistakes in a few minutes, so I dread to think how many other serious errors the book contains. It is bound to be more of a hindrance than a help to anyone trying to learn the game.

Moreover, the sample game does not even give the complete sequence of moves, so you are left to "reverse-engineer" the diagrammed positions.

I am a tutor in Mah Jong, Shogi and Chinese Chess and am always on the lookout for books on the subjects I teach.
So when I saw this package I promptly went and Purcahsed It.
I think is is well worth the money paid for it BUT.....
Upon opening the Package I was delighted to see the top quality of the Package. It is of very well presented and very pleasing to behold - Board and Pieces excelent quality.
The Actual Book with its rules and tactics and examples cant be faulted
However Upon opening the book the book fell apart (Page by Page) maybe I got a badly glued copy (not the writers fault)
The book while been easy to read and understand is unfortunately full of flaws and discrepencies.
While I admit I am not an expert in Chinese Chess, the errors and discrepencies are enough to confuse a beginner.
Some of the digrams are confusing when incorrect pieces are shown in places they could never get to and Pieces suddenly appear from out of the blue somewhat alkin to Shogi drops.
Also rule explaination in the diagram for the Elephant is confusing and contary to the stated rule and from checking in other books incorrect
The book unfortunately was not proof read and it shows badly
A great pity because it is an excelent set and well worth getting just for the game.
Presentation 10\10
Quality 10\10
Value 6\10 due to the errors and book falling apart
Diagrams and explainations 10\10 for presentation 4\10 for all the errors

Dispite my harsh words I would definity recommend this set to anyone but with the caution that they check up on any statemnets made in the book which seem to be contradictory to what was stated in the basic Rule Pamphlet[...]

For the beginner this is an ideal set with the book and board in one bundle, it is easy to get start. The low rating is due to the binding on the strategy guide disintegrating after just three days of normal page turning. After two weeks I had the indispensable players guide rebound at low cost. The book was place in between clear and red plastic covers and bound by a clear plastic coil, I would suggest this be the way the publisher bind their books in future for this product. If you are thinking of Chinese Chess as a game to play this bundle would be recommend.