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How to Make a Board for the Game Go

The game we call "go" is an ancient one, with its origins deep in eastern philosophy and culture. The game's main requirement is two sets of beads or other similar items that are consistent enough to form playing sets. For the board itself, you just need a level playing surface and a way to create true squares for a consistent scaling of the straight lines that the go board uses to make playing squares.

Things You'll Need

Wood, paper or other material
Marker or pen
Ruler or T square
Polyurethane or laminate

Instructions

- 1
  Choose your material. Find a piece of smooth wood, cardboard, plastic or any other sturdy substance. Some go boards are made of flexible material that can be rolled up and carried to tournaments.
- 2
  Cut your board to size. The size of your board will depend on your playing size. Expert games are played on 19x19, so your board would be at least 19x19 inches.
- 3
  Set your line measurements. A playing square can be a square inch, or just under a square inch, but you'll need to be consistent.
- 4
  Lay out the lines. Start with a true line that is the length of your board such as, 19 inches for a standard board. Then draw parallel lines every inch for 19 inches. Then draw lines perpendicular to create a perfect set of playing squares that is your size.
- 5
  Use polyurethane to protect your board. If you're building a go board to last, seal it with a polyurethane layer or laminate to make sure your lines stand the test of time.

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