--- title: "Which Computer Difficulty Level Should a Beginner Start At? ยท Xiangqi Master" description: "Start at the lowest level and stay there until you are winning comfortably and consistently, then move up one step at a time rather than jumping ahead." url: https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/which-computer-difficulty-level-should-a-beginner-start-at updated: 2026-09-23 source: Xiangqi Master (https://xiangqimaster.com) license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) --- # Which computer difficulty level should a beginner start at? 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 > > **The lowest level available**, and stay there longer than feels necessary. The point of the easiest setting is not to be beaten once, it is to give you enough consistent wins to actually absorb the rules and stop hanging pieces before facing anything sharper. Move up **one step at a time** once winning there feels routine, not before. ## Why starting too high wastes the exercise A stronger computer level punishes mistakes immediately and consistently, which is exactly the point once you already know the pieces, but it is discouraging and teaches little if you are still working out how a cannon's screen behaves. Losing to sharp, accurate play before you have the fundamentals mostly just produces frustration rather than learning. ## How to know it is time to move up Once you are winning at your current level comfortably and fairly consistently, not just occasionally, move up exactly one step, not several. Each level up should feel like a genuine step harder, not an overwhelming jump, and moving up too fast defeats the purpose the same way starting too high does. ## Related questions Is it bad to stay on the easiest level for a long time? No. Some players need more games than others to absorb the fundamentals, and there is no schedule you are supposed to be keeping to. Should I switch to human opponents before maxing out the computer levels? Yes, generally once you can beat the easy levels reliably; see [what to do after learning the rules](https://xiangqimaster.com/blog/what-should-i-do-after-learning-the-rules) for why human opponents teach something the computer cannot. ## Related xiangqi resources Play the computer Four difficulty levels, no account needed How to improve What to study, in what order Play xiangqi Free, in the browser, nothing to install ## Try it on a real board Reading an answer is one thing; playing it is another. Free, instant, and nothing to install.