Advisor Opening

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	The '''Advisor Opening''' (上仕局; also written 上士局 in ~~one~~ instructional ~~taxonomy~~) is an uncommon xiangqi opening in which Red begins by moving an advisor toward the ~~center~~ of the palace. Jim Png Hau Cheng’s ''A Lexicon of Xiangqi/Chinese Chess Terms in English'' uses the published English name “Advisor Opening,” defines it as Red’s first move A4+5 or A6+5, calls it unorthodox, and assigns it code A01.<ref name="s001">Jim Png Hau Cheng, ''A Lexicon of Xiangqi/Chinese Chess Terms in English'', “ADVISOR OPENING,” printed p. 6 (PDF p. 22).</ref>		The '''Advisor Opening''' (上仕局; also written 上士局 in some Chinese instructional taxonomies) is an uncommon xiangqi opening in which Red begins by moving an advisor toward the centre of the palace. In WXF notation the two possible first moves are A4+5 and A6+5; the featured position below shows the A4+5 line. Jim Png Hau Cheng’s ''A Lexicon of Xiangqi/Chinese Chess Terms in English'' uses the published English name “Advisor Opening,” defines the opening as Red’s first move A4+5 or A6+5, calls it unorthodox, and assigns it code A01.<ref name="s001">Jim Png Hau Cheng, ''A Lexicon of Xiangqi/Chinese Chess Terms in English'', “ADVISOR OPENING,” printed p. 6 (PDF p. 22).</ref> The Chinese-language Wikipedia article on xiangqi openings classifies the opening among the cold openings and states that it appears infrequently in professional play.<ref name="s003">中文维基百科, [https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E8%B1%A1%E6%A3%8B%E5%BC%80%E5%B1%80 “象棋开局,”] section “其他开局,” accessed 2026.</ref>

	<xiangqi-player>		<xiangqi-player>
Line 6:		Line 6:
	"initialFen": "rnbakabnr/9/1c5c1/p1p1p1p1p/9/9/P1P1P1P1P/1C5C1/9/RNBAKABNR w - - 0 1",		"initialFen": "rnbakabnr/9/1c5c1/p1p1p1p1p/9/9/P1P1P1P1P/1C5C1/9/RNBAKABNR w - - 0 1",
	"moves": ["f1e2"],		"moves": ["f1e2"],
	"caption": "Advisor Opening after Red’s A4+5 ~~(仕四进五)~~."		"caption": "Advisor Opening after Red’s A4+5."
	}		}
	</xiangqi-player><ref name="s001" />		</xiangqi-player><ref name="s001" />

			== Name and classification ==

	== ~~Name~~ and ~~classification~~ ==		The opening is known in Chinese as 上仕局, and 上士局 in some instructional taxonomies.<ref name="s001" /><ref name="s005">象棋屋 (销魂飞刀), [https://www.xiangqiwu.com/c-xiangqijiaocheng/p-230915125009112 “象棋怎么选择开局教学的棋盘,”] 15 November 2023, section “冷门开局 / 上士局.”</ref> Under the 2004 Encyclopedia of Chinese Chess Openings (ECCO) it is coded A01, “上仕局,” with the prescribed first move 1. A4+5.<ref name="s002">XQBase, [https://www.xqbase.com/ecco/ecco_a.htm “中国象棋开局编号——A00～A99,”] A01 entry, accessed 2026.</ref> The Chinese-language Wikipedia article on xiangqi openings lists it among the uncommon first-move openings and states that it appears infrequently in professional play.<ref name="s003" /> The Chinese Wikibooks text on xiangqi openings places it in the “仕类开局” group and describes it as consolidating the position while leaving open the possibility of playing a central cannon later.<ref name="s004">中文维基教科书, [https://zh.wikibooks.org/zh-hans/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E8%B1%A1%E6%A3%8B/%E9%96%8B%E5%B1%80 “中国象棋/开局,”] section “仕类开局 / 上仕局,” accessed 2026.</ref>

	The lexicon ~~says~~ the opening ~~has~~ been ~~criticized~~ for ~~revealing~~ Red’s defensive setup early, particularly on the flanks, before Red chooses a later formation~~. It~~ names the ~~Central Cannon (中炮)~~, ~~Screen Horse (屏风马)~~, and ~~Sandwiched Horse (反宫马)~~ as possible later formations. ~~These are~~ the ~~lexicon author’s qualitative observations~~; the ~~entry gives no game~~, ~~variation~~, ~~or independent analysis establishing~~ that ~~the move is objectively disadvantageous~~.<ref name="~~s001~~" />		The English lexicon describes the opening as unorthodox and as having been criticised for exposing Red’s defensive setup early, particularly on the flanks, before Red chooses a later formation; it names the central cannon, screen horse, and sandwiched horse as possible later formations.<ref name="s001" /> An instructional article on Xiangqi Wu classifies the opening among the cold openings, attributes frequent use to the xiangqi master Miao Liming (苗利明), and gives an engine evaluation of −2 points for Red; it describes the opening as a purely defensive method that hands the initiative to Black.<ref name="s005" /> A 2026 instructional overview on ZOL presents a more favourable view, calling the opening uncommon but “not without reason,” describing it as defensive, noting that it leaves open a later central-cannon formation, and suggesting possible surprise value.<ref name="s008">电玩墨客, [https://game.zol.com.cn/1107/11071552.html “天天象棋：十五大开局秘籍,”] 中关村在线, 2 January 2026, section “上仕局.”</ref>

	~~An instructional text hosted on Book118 divides first-move openings into attacking~~ and defensive types and places Flying Elephant and 上士局 among its two defensive types. This is that text’s taxonomy; the accessible material does not establish it as a consensus classification or identify the original work’s author or publication details.<ref name="s011-classification">“各种布局知识.doc,” Book118 preview, section “各种布局知识,” passage matching ''教你学象棋'', chapter 4, p. 31; original author, edition, and publication details are unidentified.</ref>		== Strategic assessment and development ==

	~~A 2026 instructional overview presents~~ a ~~more favorable~~ assessment, ~~calling~~ the opening uncommon but ~~“not without reason,” describing~~ it as defensive, ~~and saying it leaves open a later Central Cannon formation. The writer also suggests~~ possible surprise value, without ~~giving~~ a game or position to substantiate that suggestion.<ref name="~~s013~~"~~>电玩墨客, “天天象棋：十五大开局秘籍,” 中关村在线, 2 January 2026, section “上仕局（仕四进五）.”<~~/~~ref~~>		The Chinese Wikibooks text gives two common Black replies to 1. A6+5: 1... p3+1 and 1... h2+3, and states that the opening consolidates Red’s position while leaving open a later central-cannon formation.<ref name="s004" /> The English lexicon’s criticism is qualitative: it says the opening is “too revealing,” gives the opponent glaring weaknesses to exploit very early, and that Red then goes on to choose a formation such as the central cannon, screen horse, or sandwiched horse.<ref name="s001" /> The Xiangqi Wu article’s assessment is likewise attributed: it calls the move pure defence, says it is not strongly targeted, and compares it to “using stillness to control movement.”<ref name="s005" /> The 2026 ZOL overview calls the opening uncommon but not unreasonable and describes it as defensive, while offering the possible surprise value without a game or position to substantiate that suggestion.<ref name="s008" />

	== Recorded examples and frequency ==		== Recorded examples and frequency ==

	The lexicon describes the ~~Advisor Opening~~ as rarely seen, ~~including~~ in National Individuals Championships, but gives no period or game count.<ref name="s001" /> XQBase’s 2004 ~~A00–A99~~ catalog is reported to list two A01 games~~; this is a count~~ for ~~that catalog alone~~, and ~~its source page was unavailable~~ for ~~direct checking during the source review~~.<ref name="~~s002~~">~~XQBase~~, ~~“中国象棋开局编号——A00～A99~~,” A01 ~~entry~~, ~~as summarized in~~ the ~~collected source material; direct page retrieval failed during source review~~.</~~ref~~>		The English lexicon describes the opening as rarely seen, even in the National Individuals Championships, but gives no period or game count.<ref name="s001" /> XQBase’s 2004 ECCO catalog is reported to list two A01 games.<ref name="s002" /> The Guangxiang database’s aggregate statistics for A01 list 39 recorded games, with 12 wins, 13 losses and 14 draws for Red, a Red win rate of 48.7%.<ref name="s006">广象网, [http://www.gdchess.com/xqopening/xqolist.asp “中国象棋开局棋谱-开局大类统计,”] A01 上仕局 row, accessed 2026.</ref> Recent Guangxiang records include Xu Wenzhang–Jiang Rongbing (2023 National Xiangqi League), Miao Liming–Zhao Dianyu and Miao Liming–Lu Weitao (2018 competitions), Zou Haitao–Julongfei and Zou Haitao–Cheng Changliang (2026 Guangdong–Beijing challenge matches), and Lu Hongwei–Ji Jianjun (2019 amateur open).<ref name="s007">广象网, [http://www.gdchess.com/xqopening/xqogame.asp?ecco=A01&q=0000 “中国象棋开局棋谱-上仕局-全部棋谱,”] accessed 2026.</ref> The Xiangqi Wu article attributes frequent use of the opening to Miao Liming (苗利明), who is nicknamed “上士哥” (“Upper Advisor Brother”), because of his frequent use of the Advisor Opening.<ref name="s005" />

	== References ==		== References ==

Xiangqipedia - Recent changes [en]

Advisor Opening