How do I stay calm and focused in a long xiangqi game?
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
Give yourself a fixed routine for every move so attention stays on the board rather than on the score or the clock. The habit of asking what the opponent's last move attacked and what your own move gives up works as a focus tool as much as a tactical one: it keeps you looking at the position instead of at the outcome.
Separate routine moves from critical ones
Not every move deserves the same amount of thought. Spend most of your time budget on the moments where the position genuinely branches, usually around captures, checks and the point where the opening ends, and move faster through the parts that are close to automatic.
Accept a bad position without panicking
A worse position is not a lost one, and rushed moves played out of frustration are what actually lose games that were still holdable. If a position has gone badly, slow down rather than speed up, since that is exactly when calculation accuracy matters most.
Related questions
Does time control affect this?
Yes, a very fast game leaves little room for this kind of focus. Favour longer games specifically while you are building the habit.
Is nervousness common even at club level?
Very. It fades with experience and with a routine you trust more than you fear.
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