1. Capture: The cannon captures a piece on the board.
2. Shifting: The cannon immediately moves to the square previously occupied by the captured piece.
The key elements of a cannon movement are:
* Capturing a piece: This is essential to trigger the cannon movement.
* Moving to the captured square: The cannon must immediately move to the square where the captured piece was located.
* No other piece in between: There must be no other piece on the line between the cannon's initial position and the captured piece. This ensures the cannon's movement path is clear.
Why is this important?
The cannon movement allows the cannon to cross over pieces on the board, which is a unique and powerful ability in Chinese chess. It enables the cannon to attack pieces behind enemy pieces, and it can be used to create checkmates or capture valuable pieces in difficult positions.
Example:
Imagine a cannon on a square where there is a pawn directly in front of it. If the cannon captures the pawn, it can then move to the square occupied by the pawn, even though there was another piece in between initially.
Understanding cannon movements is crucial for playing Chinese chess effectively. It's a powerful tool for both attack and defense and can be used in a variety of situations.