How do I practice xiangqi without a partner?
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
Three things work well alone: playing the computer at a level that challenges you, working through tactics puzzles, and replaying recorded games move by move, pausing to guess the next move before revealing it. All three are genuinely productive, and none requires anyone else's schedule to align with yours.
Why replaying games works even solo
Guessing the next move in a well-played game and then checking yourself against what actually happened is a structured way to compare your judgement against a stronger player's, without needing that player present. It is slower than puzzles but builds a different skill: positional judgement rather than sharp calculation.
Do not skip review
Solo practice without review teaches less than the same time spent with review, because you never learn which of your instincts were wrong. See how to improve for the order to do this in, form your own view first, then check it.
Related questions
Is playing the computer alone as useful as playing people?
Useful for absorbing rules and punishing blunders early on; less useful once you need to see human-style plans rather than engine-style tactics.
How much solo puzzle practice is enough?
Fifteen to twenty focused puzzles beats a long unfocused session; stop once you start guessing rather than calculating.
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