Book Series: Understanding the Elephant
This series was created with the aim of introducing the Basics of Xiangqi (Chinese Chess) in detail so that the newcomer will have a firm foundation that will last a life-time. Thus far, there are four volumes that have been written. Work is still under way for new instalments that discuss other aspects of Xiangqi.
There are print versions and ebook versions for all the differerent books in the series. Interactive apps are available for you to take a peek inside the book.
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UTE 1: The History of Xiangqi
The History of Xiangqi has long been a topic of debate between Chinese historians and their Western counterparts. However, most English material on the subject was written decades or centuries ago where there was inadequate understanding of China. There are very limited books written in English about the topic by Chinese scholars. This book is a short primer to introduce the viewpoints of the Chinese scholars and also introduce the rich culture associated with Xiangqi.
UTE 2: Basic Introduction and the Basic Kills
The second instalment in the series is a short primer introducting the game and also the basic kills. The basic kills is the most important subject to learn for the beginner and there are over thirty different combinations to master.
UTE 3: Endgame Introduction and Endgame Tabia
The third instalment is divided into two different volumes which focus on the endgame phase. Because there is no queening in Xiangqi, the endgame phase can be studied with respect to the various combinations left on the board. There are specific ways of winning or forcing a draw in various situations which have been discussed in the book. Such situations are called Endgame Tabia which represents another fundamental skills in Xiangqi.
Because of the sheer size of the content, the book has been divided into two thick volumes.