Floor board vs table-top board

[lemmata]

Consider this a brief survey.

Floor board (with legs) versus table-top board (sans legs)!

What is your preference? Why? To you, in what ways are the two types of boards meaningfully different in use?

I am curious what everyone thinks. Feel free to share pictures.

[emeraldemon]

Would you rather play on the floor or at a table?

[lemmata]

Would you rather play on the floor or at a table?

Strangely enough, I enjoy both. I have a really cheap floor board (lacquered rosewood, gasp! One step up from plastic!) with detachable legs that I use in both ways. When the legs are attached, I like that it doesn't take up valuable table space. When the legs are detached, I like that I can lay out a go book next to it on a table (to set up problems or replay a game).

[gowan]

I own and use table-top boards. I do not have a floor board. Why? At my age, even using a cushion, I cannot sit on the floor for very long without leg and back pains. But I have had (and preferred) a table-top board (high quality Hyuga kaya) for more than 40 years, since I was an age when sitting on the floor was no problem. Other reasons I prefer a table-top board have to do with ease of storing and moving it from place to place, and ease of playing games out of a book. Historically floor boards seem to be a Japanese thing, Koreans and Chinese mostly use table-top boards I think, so there is no implication that floor boards are more "authentic" go equipment than table-top boards. Even in Japan table-top boards are used in most go salons and in amateur and some pro tournament settings as well.

[Inkwolf]

The one blessing in having bad knees is that it saves me from the temptation of spending money I can't afford on an expensive floor goban! Table for me.

[ez4u]

The one blessing in having bad knees is that it saves me from the temptation of spending money I can't afford on an expensive floor goban! Table for me.

I share the knee problem but lack your common sense. So I have the nice (but not too expensive) floor board gathering dust in the corner while the table boards rule.

[lemmata]

The one blessing in having bad knees is that it saves me from the temptation of spending money I can't afford on an expensive floor goban! Table for me.

Floor boards can be uncomfortable to use for many people. I think there was one title challenger match in which Cho Hunhyun played lying down against his pupil Lee Changho (who was on his knees) while complaining of pain.

[lemmata]

The one blessing in having bad knees is that it saves me from the temptation of spending money I can't afford on an expensive floor goban! Table for me.

I share the knee problem but lack your common sense. So I have the nice (but not too expensive) floor board gathering dust in the corner while the table boards rule.

That's the sinister thing about common sense: It's not so common.

[Erythen]

I'm a fan of floor boards. There a touch of elegance about them that I find attractive.

[tchan001]

I have floor goban and table goban, but I mostly play on KGS cgoban

[schultz]

I have floor goban and table goban, but I mostly play on KGS cgoban

Nice.

I have a table board that is currently gathering dust in my room, and I'm a little to frugal (cheap) to buy a floor board.

I have a friend with a floor board, so when I play him we always play at his place. I like the aesthetics of a floor board, but I've always had a tendency more towards the Japanese tradition over the Chinese and Korean (studied a bit of Japanese in college, various other reasons, etc...).

And I have to admit that my legs do start hurting after a while (sometimes I don't notice until the game is over, though! Here's to intensity in games!).

[quote]

A floor goban seems to me more aesthetic and speaks to the beauty of the game, while a table board seems more practical. Unless you live in the Orient, most people would prefer playing tabletop than on the floor (discomfort, tradition, etc.)

[jdl]

Get a table board first. Tables are everywhere. Appropriate space for a floor board, not to mention opponents willing to sit like that, are not.

[gowan]

Get a table board first. Tables are everywhere. Appropriate space for a floor board, not to mention opponents willing to sit like that, are not.

Many years ago, when I was in Japan, I needed a go set and was in a go board shop. I asked the proprietor what I should do now if I thought I might buy a good floor board in the future, and he suggested buying a katsura table board, it was relatively cheap (around $50 at the time) and if I did eventually buy the floor board the table board would still be useful because of its portability. So I bought a katsura table board. I never did buy a floor board, for reasons that have already been posted, but I did buy a fine kaya table board. It was an upgrade in equipment and also allowed me to have two games going if I was hosting some go friends.

[lemmata]

Something like this would be cool: A table board + small table. Combine them and it becomes a floor board. Best of both worlds?

Sorry for the large image size.