Tactical difference between chess and Chinese chess Is there any difference in tactics between chess and Chinese chess? If so, which one is the most fun? What are the important things to learn from it?
Douglas Crockford has written an accurate overview of Chinese Chess (or Xiangqi) from the perspective of a chess player. I quote the following:


  The Board
  
  Xiangqi can be played on a 9 by 10 uncheckered board. The board is
  separated into two territories by a river running horizontally
  through the center of the board. Bishops are unable to cross the
  river. Pawns gain the ability to move horizontally when they cross the
  river. Each of the territories has a 3 by 3 area called the Palace.
  The kings and queens are never permitted to leave the Palace.







  Pieces
  
  The king (or general) can move one square horizontally or
  vertically. The king is restricted to the nine squares of the palace.
  The King cannot leave the Palace, even to avoid checkmate. Kings act
  as rooks for the purpose of checking: If the two kings are in the same
  file, there must be at least one blocking piece between them. There is
  no castling.
  
  The queen (or guard) moves one square diagonally (as in Shatranj).
  A queen cannot leave the Palace, even to prevent checkmate. Queens are
  restricted to five of the nine squares in the Palace. Each side has
  two queens.
  
  The bishop (or elephant or minister) moves exactly two squares
  diagonally (as in Shatranj), but cannot jump. Bishops cannot cross the
  river. There are only seven squares that a bishop can occupy.
  
  The knight (or horse) moves like the Chess knight, except that it
  cannot jump. It moves one square vertically or horizontally, and then
  one square diagonally.
  
  The rook (or chariot or car) moves like the Chess rook. It can go
  any number of spaces vertically or horizontally.
  
  The pawn (or soldier) moves one space forward only. Unlike the
  pawn in Chess, this pawn does not capture diagonally. It does not have
  the option to go two on its first move. There is no en passant
  capture. There is no promotion of pawns into queens. However, once the
  pawn crosses the river, it acquires the power to move sideways. The
  pawn can never move backwards. Each side has five pawns.
  
  The cannon is unique to Xiangqi. It is the only piece which moves
  differently than it captures. The cannon moves likes a rook. It
  captures by moving like a rook with a jump over one piece. There must
  be exactly one piece of either color between the cannon and the piece
  it captures. The intervening piece is called the gun mount or screen.
  
  Checkmate and Stalemate
  
  Check and Checkmate are the same as in Chess. Stalemate is a win,
  not a draw. You cannot avoid defeat by forcing a stalemate.
  
  Perpetual check and other repetitions are not allowed.


As someone who has played both games, I would say that Xiangqi is more fluid because you are able to move every single piece on the get-go, meaning that there are more variations in the opening move. You can be aggressive by placing your cannon behind the centre pawn or you can be defensive by placing an elephant there. The good thing about not having a row of pawns in front is that you can deploy your chariot in two moves to control the river where early battles will be fought mainly with lower value pieces such as horses and soldiers.

The middlegame strategy usually involves positioning a number of your attacking pieces to exploit your opponent's weakness, perhaps at the flank. Opportunities can be created when you are attacking your opponent, forcing your opponent to move his defensive pieces like the guard and the elephant to the centre, cutting off his more powerful pieces from coming to the rescue. Other strategies involves deploying double cannons at the centre column or placing them at the last row, effectively forcing the opponent's king out into the open.

If both sides are equally matched, then the endgame would be played where fewer pieces are left on the board. The position of the king becomes very important at this stage if there are no chariots on either side. The king who dominates the centreline would limit the other king's movement to just three squares, or a third of the palace if the opponent's king is exposed.

In conclusion, I would say that there are more similarities than differences between Chess and Chinese Chess. Those who are good at Chess would naturally be good in Chinese Chess and vice versa. Strategies used in Chess can certainly be adapted to Chinese Chess as long as you have a flexible mind and can be creative with your attacks and defenses. For those who have not play Chinese Chess, do try it. It is fun.