Playing xiangqi: boards, sets, ratings and etiquette

弈 How do xiangqi ratings work?Most systems use an Elo-style calculation: you gain points for beating stronger players and lose more for losing to weaker ones. 弈 What time controls are used in xiangqi?Online blitz is typically 3+2 or 5+3, rapid 10+5 or 15+10; tournaments use longer main controls with an increment. 弈 What should I look for in a xiangqi app or site?Check that it implements the repetition rules properly, offers western piece symbols if you need them, and has real opponents at your level. 弈 What is xiangqi etiquette?Slapping pieces is normal, announcing check is not expected, and kibitzing is fine in park play but banned in rated games. 弈 How do xiangqi tournaments work?Usually Swiss-system pairings over several rounds, with a clock, an arbiter, and colours allocated so players alternate Red and Black. 弈 Can I play xiangqi on my phone?Yes. A browser-based board works on any modern phone, with no installation, and the 9×10 grid fits a portrait screen well. 弈 How do I teach someone to play xiangqi?Start with three pieces on an empty board — chariot, horse, cannon — then add the rest. Teach the cannon by demonstration, not explanation. 弈 What should I do about engine cheating in online xiangqi?Report it rather than accusing in chat. Engine-matched play is statistically detectable, and sites investigate patterns across games, not single moves. 弈 How much does a xiangqi set cost?A perfectly good playing set costs very little. Paper boards with plastic discs are cheapest; wooden folding boards cost more and play identically. 弈 Can I use a chess clock for xiangqi?Yes. Any chess clock works — digital clocks with increment support are ideal, and no xiangqi-specific features are needed. 弈 What are xiangqi puzzles and are they useful?Set positions with one correct idea, usually a forced mate or a material win. They are the most efficient way to train pattern recognition. 弈 How do I analyse my own xiangqi games?Replay the game, find where the position turned, form your own view of that moment, and only then check it against an engine. 弈 Is there professional xiangqi?Yes — China runs a professional national league with salaried players, and international events exist. Prize money is far below chess. 弈 What is a xiangqi club like?Informal, social, and usually attached to a Chinese or Vietnamese community centre. Bring nothing; sets are provided and newcomers are welcome. 弈 How do I follow a xiangqi game record?Set up a board and play through it. Red's moves use Chinese numerals and Black's use Arabic, which tells you whose move you are reading. 弈 I know the rules — what now?Play a dozen games against the computer, learn to mate with a chariot, then start doing tactics puzzles. Openings come much later. 弈 What happens if I touch a piece by accident in xiangqi?Under touch-move you must play a touched piece if it has a legal move, exactly as in chess. Casual and park play usually relax the rule entirely. 弈 How do I resign a game of xiangqi politely?Say or signal it clearly, avoid excuses, and offer a brief acknowledgement of good play. Resigning a genuinely lost position is normal, not a defeat of character. 弈 What is a bye in a xiangqi tournament?A bye is a round where a player has no opponent, usually because of an odd number of entrants, and is typically awarded a result without playing. 弈 How do I set up a xiangqi board without making mistakes?Place the general on the centre point of the back rank, mirror both sides exactly, and check the five soldiers sit on alternating files with gaps. 弈 Should beginners use notation or western symbols when starting out?Neither is necessary at first. Learn to play before learning to read or write moves, and choose symbols over characters only if reading Chinese feels like a barrier. 弈 How do I practice xiangqi without a partner?Play the computer, work through puzzles, and replay master games move by move, forming your own view before checking an engine or the known result. 弈 What is the minimum equipment I need to start playing xiangqi?Nothing physical is required to start: a browser is enough. For a physical game, a paper roll-up board and plastic discs cover everything you actually need. 弈 What should I do if I realize I made an illegal move in xiangqi?In formal play, an arbiter corrects it under the event's rules, often with a time penalty. In casual and online play, it is simply undone and replayed. 弈 Is it useful for two beginners to play each other?Yes, with one caveat: without any review, both players can reinforce the same mistakes. Play freely, but check a puzzle set or the computer occasionally. 弈 How do I set a clock with increment for a xiangqi game?Set a main time per side plus a per-move increment, exactly as for chess, since nothing about clock configuration is xiangqi-specific. 弈 How do I find xiangqi opponents who match my skill level?Use a platform's rated matchmaking queue rather than open challenges, which pairs you against similar ratings automatically and adjusts as your rating settles. 弈 What is correspondence (turn-based) xiangqi and how does it work?Correspondence or turn-based xiangqi gives each player a day or more per move, letting you analyse carefully instead of playing in real time. 弈 How do I keep my own scoresheet while playing xiangqi?Write each move in WXF notation as it happens, numbering by move pair, so you can replay and review the game accurately afterward. 弈 What should I bring to my first over-the-board xiangqi tournament?Bring identification, entry confirmation, a pen for scoresheets, and your own set and clock if you have them, though most events supply equipment. 弈 How are xiangqi tournament pairings decided?Most tournaments use the Swiss system, pairing players with similar scores each round while avoiding repeat opponents where possible. 弈 How do I follow or watch a xiangqi tournament online?Major events are often broadcast live with move-by-move boards or video, hosted by federations, platforms or independent commentators, sometimes with delay. 弈 How do I use a xiangqi game database to study openings?Search a database by opening move sequence to see how strong players continued, which lines score well, and where your own games diverge. 弈 Is it rude to kibitz while watching someone else's xiangqi game?In casual and park play, quiet commentary between onlookers is normal; in rated or formal games, offering advice to a player is not allowed. 弈 What is a xiangqi simultaneous exhibition?A simul is one strong player facing many opponents at once, moving from board to board and making one move per visit, common at clubs and exhibitions. 弈 What happens if I disconnect during an online xiangqi game?Most platforms keep your clock running and give you a window to reconnect before the game is adjudicated as a loss, exactly as an over-the-board timeout would be. 弈 How do I organise a small xiangqi tournament myself?Confirm entrants and a room first, pick a Swiss format with free pairing software, set a clear time control, and appoint one person to settle disputes. 弈 How should I manage my clock time across a whole xiangqi game?Spend most of your time on the moves where the position actually branches, and keep a rough reserve for the endgame, since basic mates still need a handful of accurate moves. 弈 Do xiangqi tournaments still use adjournments or sealed moves?Rarely today. Adjournments, where an unfinished game is sealed and resumed later, have mostly disappeared as clocks and schedules have made same-day finishes standard. 弈 How do I resolve a dispute about a move in a casual game with no arbiter present?Reconstruct the position from the last point both players agree on, check the rule together rather than argue the outcome, and default to the more cautious reading. 弈 What should I expect watching a xiangqi tournament in person for the first time?Quiet rooms, boards arranged in rows, demonstration boards for top games, and firm expectations that spectators stay silent and do not comment near the players. 弈 Can I play xiangqi with a friend over a video call without using an online platform?Yes. A physical board on each side with a shared video call works fine for casual games, though a dedicated online platform is more reliable for anything you want to keep track of. 弈 Is blindfold xiangqi a real thing, and how is it trained?Yes. Some strong players can play without sight of the board, tracking the position mentally, a skill built gradually from ordinary visualisation habits rather than a separate talent. 弈 What is result manipulation in online xiangqi, and how is it different from engine cheating?Result manipulation is two players deliberately arranging an outcome, such as one side throwing a game, rather than one player getting illegal outside help during it. 弈 What is an arena-style online xiangqi tournament?An arena runs for a fixed window of time with continuous pairing rather than fixed rounds, and players rack up points from as many games as they can fit in. 弈 How do team xiangqi league matches work?Team matches pair players by board order between two squads, and the overall result is decided by adding up points across every board rather than by any single game. 弈 How are ties broken at the end of a xiangqi tournament?Tournaments use tiebreak calculations based on the strength of opponents faced before resorting to a playoff, so two players finishing on the same score are rarely treated as equal. 弈 What is a challenge match in xiangqi?A challenge match is a standalone series of games between two players, decided by total score across the set rather than by a tournament field, often used to settle a specific rivalry. 弈 Does my online xiangqi rating count for anything at official federation events?No, online ratings and federation ratings are separate systems, and an online platform's number carries no formal weight at a federation-run tournament. 弈 What should I do while my opponent is thinking during their turn?Stay at the board and keep working on the position mentally rather than switching off, since your opponent's move often changes exactly what you were planning to play. 弈 Can I livestream my own xiangqi games online?Yes, most platforms allow it for casual and even rated play, though it is worth checking a specific event's rules before streaming a formal tournament game with any delay. 弈 Are blitz, rapid and classical xiangqi rated separately online?Most platforms keep a distinct rating for each speed category, since how you perform at a few seconds per move and at a full slow time control are genuinely different skills. 弈 How do I play xiangqi online with a friend?Open a private room and send the link to your friend. You both need a free account with a confirmed email; two players on one device is not supported.