How many xiangqi openings do I need to know?
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
Two. One for when you move first, one for when you do not. That is enough to reach a playable middlegame against anything anybody plays, and it is far more useful than a shallow acquaintance with a dozen systems you cannot explain.
Why two is genuinely enough
Because the opening is not the point — the middlegame it hands you is. You only learn that middlegame by reaching it repeatedly and seeing what works, and you cannot do that if you change system every week.
For most players the pair is Central Cannon as Red and Screen Horses as Black.
How deep
Four or five moves, plus the plan. Beyond that, learn from your own games: the moves you actually need are the ones your actual opponents played, and no book knows what those are.
Related questions
When should I add a third?
When you can explain why your current two produce the positions they do. Not before.
Should I learn what a grandmaster plays?
No. Grandmaster repertoires solve grandmaster problems. Pick middlegames you enjoy.
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