Life In 19x19

I've been considering this set from Yellow Mountain Imports.
http://www.ymimports.com/p-2475-beechwo ... e-set.aspx

I really like the design, with the stones stored inside the folded board, but I'm not sold on the color of the board. A dark wood with light lines seems backwards to me. Also, I'm a little worried that the lines would fade over time since they are on the outside.

Does anyone know of a similar board with a more traditional color scheme? It doesn't have to include stones.


The other option I might consider is a slotted board like this one.
http://chiyodad.blogspot.com/2007/02/ym ... s-now.html

This item doesn't seem to be available anymore on Yellow Mountain Imports.
Does anyone know of anything similar to this that is still for sale somewhere?

I've seen other slotted boards on various websites, but in most cases the quality seems quite poor. I want something that looks decent and will last, but I don't want to spend a fortune either.


For reference, the only go set I own right now is a roll up vinyl board with the single convex version of these stones.
http://www.ymimports.com/p-2397-hi-tech ... 92-mm.aspx

YMI has not carried the slotted shin-kaya boards for a while, and this is a great pity because not only was the board nice to play on, it came in hard sided case (much like one for a musical instrument) which kept the wood nice and undented. Yutopian has also carried folding and slotted boards in the past, but nothing currently. I do know that GoGameGuru has a folding MDF board that has a smaller grid than usual, and you can get this board with appropriately sized glass stones in plastic boxes for about $52 (plus s/h). The seller does caution that the hinges can scratch tabletops, just be aware of that with any folding board with metal hinges. That said, you can also peruse eBay for used and new folding sets on offer for sale or bidding, and you will save a bit of cash. Be aware that most of the 'vintage' folding board sets that crop up like clockwork on eBay are smaller than what is standard playing size, and so are best suited when portability is at a premium, and shouldn't be your top choice for playing games on a regular basis. A few years ago I was able to get a full-sized vintage folding go board made of Katsura wood with a felted back and sturdy tape hinge that had been carried by the Ishi Press in the US oh so long ago, so if you are patient bargains can be found. Good luck in your search!

I have a 1" slotted board from ye ancient Ishi Press, ca.1980. The joint edges are sharply clean, the tenons are sturdy and they slip into deep mortises that actually hold the board together. The grid was printed after the board was made so there is no missing wood from the saw kerf. I have never seen a slotted board this well made since.

The best folding boards use hinges that are countersunk into the back or muli-planar hinges set into mortises on the joint's edges. That kind of craftsmanship and attention to detail comes at a premium.

DIY folding boards require some woodworking skills. I've seen cheap table boards sawn in half and hinged by well-intentioned go players. The loss of the saw kerf, chipping of the surface by the blade and poor hinge installation made these otherwise useful boards into lamentable stories.

Somewhere on this forum are threads about two-piece boards that have super strong rare earth magnets on the edge. INstalling those requires a drill press to precisely locate and drill perpendicular holes; a far easier operation than installing hinges or attempting mortise and tenon joints. Cutting the board is the most difficult part. You'd want to practice.

As a quick follow-up to my suggestion to peruse eBay, here are two folding Japanese boards that may interest you:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/go-set-advanced-ISHI-PRESS-INTERNATIONAL-/251400798734?pt=Games_US&hash=item3a88a7c20e
This one is a set of a 15mm Katsura folding board backed with felt and a set of glass go stones from the Ishi Press (I can vouch for the board, it is nice)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-folding-GO-chess-board-/221365660070?pt=Games_US&hash=item338a6be9a6
This is just the board alone, but it has a 9x9 beginner grid on one side, a 19x19 grid on the other.

Cheers!

If you haven't found something yet, it looks like GoGameGuru recently added a new option for a folding go board. The Road Warrior Go Set has a folding board and plastic stones for $45.

schwartzseer mentioned this Intrepid Go Set that looks to be the same board, but it comes with glass stones and carrying cases for the stones for $52

For something a little cheaper, Yellow Mountain Imports has this Go and Chess combo board that functions like a slotted board (it is in two halves held together by magnets). The description doesn't say for sure, but the stones look plastic from the picture. It's $37.

It seems I own a little bit of everything from YMI, so I should weigh on Moyoaji's suggestion of the go/chess combo set

A few years ago I had seen a set like this available from the UK, and I suggested to Pong (YMI's owner) that it might be a neat set to offer to those of us who play both games with gusto!

Recently I bought one for myself as a "layaway" item from YMI on eBay for $10, and can offer the following observations:
1) The Chinese made chess set is very lightweight, heavily varnished, and not very aesthetically pleasing (frankly, downright ugly--I'm already looking at Indian weighted sets on eBay as replacements)
2) The Chinese made stones are indeed lightweight plastic, and again, not very exciting (I also purchased "layaway" Korean glass stones for $10 from YMI on eBay at the same time, to replace the provided plastic stones)
3) The board is simulated wood laminate with silk-screened chessboard on one side (1-7/8" squares, coordinates on the sides) and a Chinese-standard sized go board on the other. The magnets are very weak (you cannot pick up the board and have it stay together) but they have enough attraction to keep the two halves together when playing a game.
4) No case or bag is included, the chess and go pieces come in the ubiquitous white square YMI cardboard boxes.

The value to me is in the board, as I have the option of which game to play without having to lug two boards, and the cheapness of the board means I don't give it a second thought tossing it in a bag to take somewhere to play or study, with money left over to replace the vastly inferior parts with better quality.

Bottom line is that if you are seeking a *quality* portable go board I'd consider my other suggestions (above), but for something offbeat it may be worth considering. YMMV