Stancie goban portable#

The Chinese style, called yunzi 雲子,云子, or 'cloud' also abbreviation for ' Yunnan pebble', because they are normally flat underneath and convex on top.The Japanese and Korean style, which is lens shaped (i.e.There are two styles or shapes of stones: They are colored either black or white and normally number 181 for black and 180 for white (or sometimes 180 for each). Go stones, or go-ishi 碁石,棋子, are round objects placed on the board. Boards transported between climates with significantly differing humidity levels may be subjected to warping or cracking due to rapidly changing moisture content in the wood. Wooden boards subjected to excessive humidity or a large variation of humidity or temperature may be affected by discoloration, warping, cracking, woodworm, or mold, and prolonged exposure to sunlight can bleach the board. Boards made of other woods, such as Alaskan spruce, Agathis, or katsura are cheaper, around $500 to $2,000. Masame boards are further classified as tenmasa (the top grain is straight, but grain along the cut end is curved), and most-prized tenchimasa (grain is straight along the cut end as well as on top.) Prices of kaya boards range from US$1,000 to $20,000 plus. Itame refers to a bent or irregular grain masame refers to consistent grain that runs straight across the top of the board. These are classified according to the quality of the wood grain. The undersides often have a square recesses ( heso) to prevent warping and to amplify the sounds of the stones hitting the surface. The thickest boards are the most elegant. The board can range from 14 to 21 cm high. The legs raise the board to the correct height. Chinese versions of floor boards are not always made from blocks of wood, and more closely resemble a small table with an inlaid go board. These boards are still used for important tournament games in Asia. The legs are carved to resemble gardenias. Historically, to play on these boards, the Japanese would sit on tatami mats. A wooden floor board with legs is the most traditional, elegant, and expensive of all boards.The tensile strength of bamboo is comparable to that of steel making it very durable but also heavier than other wooden boards of the same size. The most valued boards are made from kaya, which is a mellow yellow. Wood, such as spruce or katsura 桂, that has a light color with a fine grain that does not compete with the grid lines is considered most suitable. Boards have been made from almost every type of wood, which includes particle board with or without veneer.

Stancie goban portable#

Portable boards can be made with hinges or slots. They are known as 'table boards' because they are placed on tables (compare 'floor board' below.) The wood grain is pleasing to the eye, and the stones make a nice sound when placed firmly on the board. Wooden boards, one to two inches thick, are commonly used.Large magnetic boards are also available for demonstration purposes, during lectures and other presentations.Ī typical folding board, with Go bowls and stones next to it Magnetic sets are also available, which comprise metal boards and stones that include magnets.Some materials hold strongly onto the warp though and need to be weighted at the corners to make the board usable when unrolled. Boards that comprise fabric, paper, or plastic may be rolled into a tube and easily carried along with stones to make a portable set.A board can be hand-drawn on a stiff piece of cardboard for the super-economical. They are often used by beginners or for when one does not have a proper set available. Economical boards comprise paper, plastic, or laminate, which can easily be folded away and stored.Go boards fall into several types or styles. Traditional Japanese goban usually follow the dimensions: In Asian Go parlors, the tables are slightly lower than the typical game table so that the players can clearly see the positions of the stones. Chinese boards are generally square Japanese and Korean boards are slightly longer than wide, so that they appear square when viewed from a normal playing position. Some 19×19 boards have a 13×13 grid on the reverse side. Smaller boards include a 13×13 grid and a 9×9 grid used for shorter games that are often used to teach beginners. The standard board is marked with a 19×19 grid. The Go board, called the goban 碁盤 in Japanese, is the playing surface on which to place the stones. An empty Go board, with the 19x19 intersecting lines