---
title: "How Much Does a Xiangqi Set Cost? · Xiangqi Master"
description: "A perfectly good playing set costs very little. Paper boards with plastic discs are cheapest; wooden folding boards cost more and play identically."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/how-much-does-a-xiangqi-set-cost
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# How much does a xiangqi set cost?

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
>
> A **good playing set is cheap**. A paper or vinyl roll-up board with plastic discs costs very little and plays exactly as well as anything expensive. Wooden folding boards and hardwood pieces cost considerably more and improve the experience without improving the game.

## Spend on legibility, not material

The one thing worth paying for is **engraved and colour-filled characters** rather than surface printing, which rubs off. After that, check the pieces fit the grid — roughly a 5 cm grid for 4.5 cm pieces — so discs on adjacent points do not touch.

## What you do not need

Weighted pieces, presentation boxes, exotic woods. None of it affects play. A cheap set with clear engraving is a better *playing* set than an expensive one with shallow gold leaf.

## Related questions

What size should the pieces be?

Club sets are commonly 4.5–5 cm across. Travel sets go smaller and are harder to read.

Are western-symbol sets available?

Yes, though uncommon in shops. Every digital board offers them.

## Related xiangqi resources

Board setup

The board, the river, the palace, and where the 32 pieces go

Chess in Chinese

The words for the game and every piece

Xiangqi questions answered

Every question on this site, in one index

## Try it on a real board

Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.