How do I organise a small xiangqi tournament myself?
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
Confirm your entrants and a room before anything else, then pick a Swiss format using free pairing software rather than pairing by hand, set a clear time control in advance, and appoint one person to settle disputes before the first round starts, even in a small, friendly event.
Keep the format simple
For a small field, a short Swiss event or a straightforward round robin needs no special equipment beyond boards, clocks and a way to generate pairings, and several free tools handle Swiss pairings competently for a club-sized entry list. Decide the number of rounds and the time control before advertising the event, not after players have already shown up.
Somebody has to be the arbiter
Even a friendly club event needs one person, ideally not also playing, willing to make the final call on a disputed move or a repetition question. Read the rules on perpetual check and chase in advance, since that is the one area where xiangqi arbitration genuinely differs from chess and where a casual organiser is most likely to be caught out.
Related questions
Do I need official equipment?
No. Any legible sets and any working clocks are enough for a casual club event.
Should I run it rated?
Only if you have access to a rating system that supports it; otherwise treat it as a casual event and say so clearly in advance.
.