What Is Xiangqi.com and What Can You Do on It for Free?

Updated

Xiangqi.com is a free online Chinese chess (xiangqi) platform where you can play against other people or a computer, solve puzzles, join weekly online tournaments, and review your games with engine analysis. It suits beginners learning the rules, casual players who want a quick untimed game, and competitive players who want rated matches and a ranking. The site describes all of these features as free; no paid tier is mentioned in the available information.

What the site offers

The homepage presents Chinese chess as a game played for hundreds of years and still one of the most popular board games in the world, common in Chinatown neighborhoods across the world. The site is built around four main activities, each with its own section.

Play online against another player

You can create a two-player game or join one that someone else has created. When creating a game, the host can choose:

  • Which side each player takes
  • Game timers and increments
  • Move timers
  • An untimed format, if you just want to play without a clock

After a game, the engine analysis feature lets you review and analyze it to improve.

Play against the computer

The Play Computer feature has 5 difficulty levels. Level 1 is described as a good companion for beginners getting familiar with the game; once you can beat it, you move up a level. This is a practical way to prepare for multiplayer games without the pressure of a live opponent.

Solve and create puzzles

The site provides numerous free Chinese chess puzzles for practicing tactics. There is also a Create Puzzles feature: you can design your own puzzle, name it, and share it with other players.

Join weekly tournaments

Xiangqi.com holds free online tournaments using the Swiss system every week. The homepage links to a page where you can check the schedule and participate.

How ratings work

Rated two-player games on Xiangqi.com adjust your rating using the ELO rating system after each game. According to the site, when a player's rating reaches the top 20 across the whole platform, that player is recognized on the leaderboard. If you prefer not to affect a rating, note that the site distinguishes rated games from other formats such as untimed casual games and computer practice.

Learning the rules before you play

If you have never played, the site's How to Play section explains the basics: the board has nine columns (files) and ten rows (ranks), and the traditional pieces are wooden disks marked with red or black Chinese characters, placed on the intersections (vertices) rather than inside squares. A dedicated How To Play Xiangqi page covers each piece and the detailed rules used on the site. Reading that first is the fastest way to avoid illegal moves in your first game.

A sensible first session

  1. Read the How to Play page to learn piece movement and board layout.
  2. Play a few games against the Level 1 computer to get comfortable with the interface and basic tactics.
  3. Try a handful of puzzles to practice recognizing tactical patterns.
  4. Create or join an untimed two-player game if you want a low-pressure human opponent, or a timed rated game if you want your ELO rating to count.
  5. Review the game with engine analysis afterward, then check the tournament page if you want a weekly competitive goal.

The main things to keep in mind: the site is English-language, the free features cover play, puzzles, tournaments, and analysis, and the competitive track runs on ELO ratings, so casual and rated games serve different purposes.