---
title: "How to Play Xiangqi: A Complete Beginner's Start · Xiangqi Master"
description: "Set up 32 pieces on the intersections, Red moves first, and checkmate the opposing general. The fastest way in is to learn the seven pieces and play immediately."
url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/how-to-play-xiangqi-for-beginners
updated: 2026-09-22
source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com)
license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
---

# How do you play xiangqi as a complete beginner?

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
>
> Set the board up with the 32 pieces on the **intersections**, not the squares. Red moves first. Each player tries to checkmate the opposing general, which never leaves its 3×3 palace. You can learn enough to play a real game in about fifteen minutes — the seven piece movements are the whole of it.

## The order to learn it in

1. **The board.** Nine files, ten ranks, a river across the middle, a palace at each end.
2. **The chariot, horse and cannon.** These three do almost all the work. Learn them first.
3. **The general and advisors.** Confined to the palace, and the flying general rule.
4. **The elephant and soldier.** Both are limited by the river.

Then play. You will learn more from three losses than from an hour of reading.

## What to ignore at first

Openings. Every beginner is told to learn 中炮 and every beginner then loses to a tactic on move twelve. Opening theory only matters once you stop hanging pieces.

Notation too, unless you want to read books. You can play a thousand games without writing one down.

## Related questions

How long does xiangqi take to learn?

The rules take fifteen minutes. Playing without blundering takes a few weeks of games. There is no shortcut through the second part.

Do I need to read Chinese to play?

No. The pieces are distinguished by position and by seven distinct characters you learn by shape. Many sets and all online boards offer western symbols. See [chess in Chinese](https://xiangqimaster.com/chess-in-chinese).

## Related xiangqi resources

How to play xiangqi

From an empty board to your first full game

Board setup

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

Play the computer

Four difficulty levels, no account needed

## Try it on a real board

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