Go Equipment
by Justin Carmical and Brad Edwards

There are very few requirements for equipment needed to play Go. In fact, you could play Go with a piece of paper and a pencil. Simply draw a 19x19 grid and take turns with your partner drawing hollow and filled circles to represent your respective units. Many will argue, however, that something is missing from the game when it is played this way. Technically, one could play checkers, chess, Go and dozens of other board games with mere pencil and paper, but what chess master would say he would not miss the feeling of a knight or bishop in his fingers? What checkers player would not long for the feeling of delightfully bouncing his newly kinged piece over three or four opponent pieces? The same argument can be made for playing Go on a traditional set. A traditional Go set consisting of a wooden board (the goban), go stones made of slate and shell (the go-ishi), and wooden bowls to contain the stones (the goke) all contribute to the atmosphere and aesthetics of Go.

When one speaks of a "traditional" Go set, it is generally understood that the person is referring to the Japanese ideal of a Go set. Japanese culture has probably done more for the game of Go throughout its history than any other culture in Asia including China - the game's actual origin. Japan was the first nation to adopt Go as one of its national pastimes, and Japan is one of the only nations to have established a bureau dedicated to the promotion and administration of Go through the use of government subsidies. That legacy is in one way rewarded by the overwhelming sentiment that the finest Go sets available today are from Japan and are of Japanese craftsmanship.

The traditional goban is a thick piece of wood (sometimes as thick as 22 cm) designed to sit on the floor on four ornately decorated feet. The finest wood for gobans, known as 'old-growth kaya', is said to come from a single prefecture in Japan. The trees must be over 300 years of age to be considered for goban making. The finest material for stones is said to come from the shells of clams native to Japanese waters for white and slate stone also found in Japan for black. Stones can be as thick as 14 mm apiece. Finally, the finest wood used in the manufacture of the bowls used to hold the stones (typically mulberry) is also said to come from Japan. Ironically, due to the overwhelming rise in the popularity of Go worldwide and the demand for Japanese made Go equipment, Japan is suffering a shortage of the materials needed to create these coveted masterpieces. For the finest quality set available today, a collector can expect to pay into the tens of thousands of dollars.

For players with less discriminating tastes (and much smaller pocketbooks), there are much easier and cheaper solutions. For the goban, many game and hobby stores carry folding or 2-3 inch thick table boards. These range anywhere from $30-$90 depending on the store and are often times made of 'agathis' or 'spruce'. These woods do well in humid climates as well as most dry areas. Glass stones can be found at these shops as well as many larger oriental markets. Prices for these stones can range anywhere from $10-$30 depending on thickness. For the truly thrifty buyer, vinyl boards and plastic stones are sold as sets for $15-$30, and are usually the most inexpensive sets to buy. While the heft of good stones and the crack as they are laid upon a wooden board is lost, they are an ideal set for the beginner or player on the go. Fold-out magnetic boards can also be found in some shops around the country. Small and compact, these sets are perfect for long plane trips, excursions to the country, afternoon picnics, or for that free-time in between classes.

The need to record games has been consistent throughout history. Usually, a third person, an observer of a game, has a red pencil and a black pencil. They also have a sheet of paper, known as the 'kifu', with a grid of a blank go board. As play progresses, they record the game by circling the placements of the stones and writing the order of play in each circle. This is one of the last aspects of equipment for players, although not a necessary one for most. If the player's memories were good enough, they would record the kifu after they had played the game. Unless you live in an Asian city, however, notebooks with kifu paper inside are just plain non-existent. Should you want to record your games, there are many programs out there that have an SGF creator. There are some good ones for PDAs and laptops so you can record it as you play wherever you go. But should you desire to record your games the traditional way, we have provided a PDF document with a kifu outline to print out and use at your leisure.

In all, you can invest as little or as much as you care to into this marvelous game. Portable wooden table boards and glass stones seem to be the norm amongst beginners while stronger players upgrade to thicker goban and better stones. As long as you feel comfortable playing it really doesn't matter what equipment you use, just as long as you enjoy yourself and the experience.