Can you take back a move in xiangqi?
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
Not in tournament play. Once a move is completed, whether that means the piece is released on formal touch-move rules or, online, the move is submitted, it stands regardless of what you intended a moment later. Only an illegal move is reversed. Casual games take moves back all the time, but that is courtesy between players, not a rule.
When a move counts as done
Under touch-move, the moment is the release, not the touch. You may hover a piece over several points while deciding, and nothing is final until you let go. Once you do, the move stands even if you saw the refutation half a second later.
Online it is simpler still: a move is done the instant the client submits it, which is why premoves and slow connections occasionally punish a player harder than a real touch-move violation would.
Why competitive play is strict about it
Calculation is the game. Allowing takebacks would remove the cost of a wrong decision and turn every game into analysis rather than play. It is the same reasoning that determines when a move actually counts as made, and the two rules exist together for the same purpose.
Related questions
Can I take back a move against a friend?
Sure, if you both agree. It has no standing beyond that agreement, and it teaches you less than playing the position out.
What if I realize my move is a blunder right after making it?
You play on. Recognising the mistake immediately is actually useful information for your next game, which a takeback would erase.
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