Coordinates / Relative Coordinates

(an option in Sabaki GUI SabakiSoftware https://sabaki.yichuanshen.de/) This system utilises the symmetries of the goban to create simple, natural coordinates, ideal for describing go moves. Each point on the goban is described by its position in relation to the four corners, similar to the notation used when describing joseki moves. (Relative coordinates are ideal for writing down joseki variations.)

1*
2*
3*
4*
5
4
3
2
1 _ 2 _ 3 _ 4 _ 5 _ 4* _ 3* _ 2* _ 1*
Relative coordinates on the 9x9 goban

Used on the 19x19 goban, the x and y axes are both labelled 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X 9* 8* 7* 6* 5* 4* 3* 2* 1* starting from an origin at 11 in the lower left corner. X, the Roman numeral for 10, is used, only on the 19x19 goban, to label the 10th row and column. (This ensures that only two numerals are required on all gobans up to 19x19.)

A * added to a numeral indicates that you are counting in the opposite direction (right to left or from the top down) to how you would count out from the corner in the first quadrant.

When studying joseki we refer to the 3-3 point, 4-4 point, etc. Using Relative coordinates, the four 4-4 points are 44, 44*, 4*4* & 4*4. These points may be represented as 4^4^, where ^ indicates that a * may or may not be appended to the 4. Another example is the Knight’s Approach to a 4-4 point; it will be a variant of 3^6^ or 6^3^. So 3^6^ and 6^3^ together summarise the 8 possible Knight’s Approaches to a 4-4 point.

All points on the goban may be written in the form ij, ij*, i*j, i*j*, ji, ji*, j*i, and j*i* (summarised as i^j^ & j^i^). This illustrates how all points described with identical numerals (that is all variants of i^j^& j^i^) are in the same position relative to their corner, taking all symmetries into account (including those across the goban's two main diagonals.)

Relative coordinates may be used on gobans of any dimensions. When used on gobans larger than 19x19, a dash should be inserted between the x & y coordinates for clarity and to avoid confusions that might otherwise arise. (Otherwise 112 could refer to either 1-12 or to 11-2, for example).

When writing it is easier to use the symbol ' (single quotation mark, pronounced "prime" when used in mathematics). For example, the point 44' is pronounced "four four prime". Since the * is easier to see, it is preferable to use the * when typing or labelling the goban. (It may be pronounced “prime” or “star”).