What's a realistic checklist for knowing when I'm past the total-beginner stage 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
You are past total-beginner territory once you can set up the board correctly without checking a diagram, you rarely leave a piece undefended by accident, checking a cannon's screen and a horse's leg has become close to automatic, and you can mate a bare general with a chariot reliably. None of these require deep study, and most players reach all four within a few weeks of regular play.
Why these four specifically
They cover the mechanical foundation everything else builds on: knowing the position, not giving material away for free, tracking the two rules that trip up chess players most (the cannon's screen and the horse's leg), and being able to finish a game you have already won. Nothing about openings or advanced tactics belongs on a beginner checklist; those come later.
What comes after this stage
Once these four are solid, the highest-value next step is tactics puzzles and basic checkmate drills rather than opening theory, which is the single most common thing beginners reach for too early. See what to learn first in xiangqi for the fuller order.
Related questions
Do I need to know notation to count as past this stage?
No. Notation is useful later but has nothing to do with whether you have the basic mechanical foundation down.
How long does reaching this stage usually take?
For most players, a few weeks of regular games, sometimes faster with focused practice against the computer.
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