Life In 19x19

It's too soft for a Goban. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-arti ... est-woods/
It breaks easily, the grain isn't fine and detailed; sanding will not give you a plain surface as a hard wood would.
They use it for boxes and covers in Japan. Never for Gobans.


Cheers

In my opinion the initial question comparing the strength of players in history is misleading.

Consider go being an art, would you ask, whether contemprorary artists do better art than the ones in past centuries?

Consider go being science, then you will end up in discussions like 'critizism and ...

http://www.kosho.or.jp/public/book/basi ... F2AF61F38D
(=official used book stores of Japan website)
Especially for Shusaku there are a few editions to choose from.

kind regards

i agree with gowan:
m ... 35c400effa
is not kaya, rather than katsura. U can buy such a board at auctions.yahoo.co.jp for less than 5000Yen.


i like to use floor boards on low tables. As a floor board i recommend to buy katsura or kaya, not shinkaya. And, Kuroki is the best place to buy new ...