What should I look for in a xiangqi set?
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
Buy for legibility before anything else. Standard club discs are about 4 to 5 cm across with deeply engraved, colour-filled characters. Wood, plastic and resin all play identically — what ruins a set is shallow printing that wears off, or a board whose grid is too small for the pieces.
The practical checklist
- Character depth. Engraved and filled lasts; surface-printed rubs off.
- Size match. Pieces should sit on an intersection without touching their neighbours. A 4.5 cm piece wants roughly a 5 cm grid.
- Contrast. Red should be red, not orange, and the black side should be genuinely dark.
- Board format. Folding wooden boards are sturdy; paper or vinyl roll-ups are cheap and travel well.
What does not matter
Exotic woods, weighted pieces and presentation boxes are all decoration. A £15 set with clear engraving is a better playing set than a £150 one with shallow gold leaf.
Pieces with western symbols exist and are fine for learning, but they are rare in shops and you will meet characters everywhere else.
Related questions
What size pieces do clubs use?
Commonly 4.5 to 5 cm diameter. Smaller travel sets go down to about 3 cm, which is harder to read at a glance.
Do I need a clock?
Only for competitive play. Any chess clock works; there is nothing xiangqi-specific about it.
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