In our effort to bring you quality at a reasonable price, we have rejected various cheap and nasty boards and refused to sell a more expensive Japanese board that just didn't seem to be up to it. The following boards have a nice feel and are great for day-to-day use.

Standard Go Board

This is our standard full-size wooden board with a 13 x 13 grid marked out on the reverse (for quick games). The first board is one-piece - pictured here with Glass stones (not included). The second version has a strong magnetic join for easy storage. The join barely visible when the sides are brought together.

Both versions are wooden with a veneered surface. Dimensions are 45.5 x 42 x 1.4cm.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

NOTE: Customers wishing to order the magnetic board with glass Go stones - please refer to our Go sets page where you can order the same thing as part of a set for a cheaper price.

Change to $ Change to €	UK pounds (ex.VAT)	Pounds (incl. VAT)	Typical ETA in wkg days	Add to basket
Go Board - Wooden	£29.70	£34.90	1 + transit time
Go Board - Wooden with magnetic join	£37.36	£43.90	2 + transit time

36mm Go Board

Full size, good quality Go table board. The added thickness gives a nice solid feel and reduces the chances of board movement spoiling the game midway through.

As with all genuine Go boards, the 19 x 19 grid is slightly longer than wider. Dimensions are 45.5 x 42.3 x 3.6cm. Size of grid is around 394 x 425mm. Solid wood with a beechwood veneer.

Pictured with genuine slate and clamshell stones.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Change to $ Change to €	UK pounds (ex.VAT)	Pounds (incl. VAT)	Typical ETA in wkg days	Add to basket
Go Table Board - 36mm wooden	£59.49	£69.90	2 + transit time

For an immediate quote and ETA, add to the basket & select your location.

6cm Go Board

These boards are completely solid and and are a fine alternative to a Go-ban. Both types are extremely good quality from Korea and measure 45.5 x 42.5cm. The first board is made from solid chunks of Shin Kaya (Alaskan Spruce), generally accepted as one of the very best woods for Go equipment. The joins are virtually invisible on the playing surface.

The second is made from solid pieces of beautiful Hiba (Yellow Cedar) wood which initially exudes a strong cedarwood smell. These days, Hiba wood is second only to genuine Kaya in terms of it's standing for Go boards and it would be hard to obtain a higher quality board than this one. The joins are virtually invisible on the playing surface.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Change to $ Change to €	UK pounds (ex.VAT)	Pounds (incl. VAT)	Typical ETA in wkg days	Add to basket
Go Table Board - 6cm Shin Kaya	£173.53	£203.90	2 + transit time
Go Table Board - 6cm Yellow Cedarwood	£176.94	£207.90	2 + transit time	Apologies - out of stock.. Date new stock due: unknown. Email us to be notified when new stock is available.

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The Origin of Go

Wei Qi (also spelt Wei-Ch'i) as it's known in China, Baduk (Paduk or Pa-dok) as it's known in Korea or Go, as it is known in Japan and generally in the West, is considered by most Oriental game experts to be the worlds greatest strategic skill game, far surpassing Chess in it's complexity and scope. Wei-Ch'i means "surrounding game" or "surrounding chess" and the object is simply to capture territory by placing down counters on the board. 

Wei Qi is the most perfect of board games from several perspectives.  Of all the serious board games, Go has the fewest rules and yet, the game itself is is the most intellectually challenging.  No computer program has yet been written which has been able to compete with the best Go players. The mathematical elegance of the rules is complemented by the great beauty of the boards and stones - of all board games in the world, Go has been raised by the Japanese to a pinnacle of aesthetic beauty.

According to Chinese history, Wei-Ch'i was invented by Emperor Shun (2255 - 2206 BC) to help develop the intelligence of his son, Shokin. A alternative version attributes the invention of Go to U, who lived during the reign of Emperor Kieh Kwei several hundred years later. Under non-Chinese history, it is thought more likely that the game originated in central Asia from where it spread eastwards through Nepal and Tibet to China.

The Go board can either be a flat table board or the more traditional floor-board with legs (Go-ban). The wood used, the quality of the grain and how the grain is oriented is of prime importance. Most common are Itame boards in which the grain is bent or irregular. Better boards are Masame which means the grain runs straight across the top of the board. Best of all are Tenmasa Masame boards that have grain running from bottom to top as well as straight across the top.

The best Go stones are made of slate and clamshell and the quality and the grain on the clamshell matters. There are two grades of Go stone based on the white pieces, Yuki - snow white and jitusyo - ordinary. The thickness of the stones varies according to personal taste. There is a knack to playing a stone - it should be held between the index and middle fingers and placed with an audible click. The Go bowls which hold the stones should also be of good quality wood with straight grain.

You can learn more about the History of Go from The Online Guide to Traditional Games.