Go Board

    Keywords: Equipment

Chinese: 棋盘 (qí pán); 棋板 (qí bǎn)
Japanese: 碁盤 (goban)
Korean: 바둑판 (RR: baduk pan, M-R: Paduk p'an)

[Diagram]
Standard 19x19 go board  

A go board is a 19x19 grid of lines [1]. The Japanese go term for go board is 碁盤 (goban).

The grid of a real-life go board isn't square but rectangular (about 8% longer than wide). This compensates for foreshortening when you look at the board.

The go stones are played on the intersections, including the edge of the board (the outer line), and the corners where two edges meet.

Dots at the nine star points, or hoshi, help the players orient themselves, and mark the location for handicap stones. The center star point is called tengen in Japanese, tianyuan in Chinese, or chunweon in Korean.


Goban

Although the term goban is generally recognized and used by Western players, many English speakers avoid it, preferring instead the native English go board, or simply board. Goban is widely used, however, in other languages, including French and Dutch, in which the native term may be more cumbersome.

Some people use goban, incorrectly, to refer specifically to a Japanese go board with legs. In Japanese the word indicates a go board of any shape or form. To specify, the floor goban with legs is called ashitsuki goban (足付き碁盤 'leg-attached board') and one without legs takujou-ban (卓上盤 table-top board) or ita-ban (板盤, panel board).

See also


[1] Other sized go boards exist. Commonly used alternative sizes include 9x9 and 13x13 boards.


Go Board last edited by 2.87.81.117 on February 25, 2024 - 21:44
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