Can you forfeit a xiangqi game by arriving late?
These answers restate the rules implemented by our open-source engine, which follows the WXF laws and is regression-tested against the official 110-diagram repetition casebook. Where an answer refers to a specific position, that position lives on the linked reference page, where the build verifies it against the engine before publishing.
Direct answer
Yes, in formal events. Tournaments set a default time, commonly somewhere between fifteen minutes and an hour depending on the time control, and a player who has not arrived by then forfeits the game to their opponent. The specific limit is set by each event's regulations rather than by a universal xiangqi law.
Why this rule exists at all
A clock is already running against an absent player the moment the round starts in most formats, so a hard default time exists mainly to stop a game sitting open indefinitely and to protect the schedule of the rest of the tournament.
Online, the equivalent is simpler
There is no travel involved, so most platforms simply start the clock at the scheduled time and let ordinary time forfeiture rules apply from there rather than defining a separate lateness rule.
Related questions
Is the default time the same at every tournament?
No, it varies by event and is stated in that event's regulations.
What happens if both players are late?
Handled by the arbiter under the event's rules; it is not a standard xiangqi law with a single universal answer.
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