are there any regulations concerning the size of a go set? I already know its gotta be 19 x 19 but what are the measurement requirements? can anyone that has played in a tournament offer advice?

I've never heard of any official size regulations, but for a tournament I would not use a travel set. Just the regular cheap laminate or wooden boards with some glass stones will do. Thick gobans are definitely not necessary though

There are, by the way, also really handy small magnetic playing sets out there. But those are great for when you have nothing else available, not really for a tournament.

EDIT: oh yes, if you are GOING to a tournament, then indeed there will be material available, so then you don't have to worry.

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My name is Gijs, from Utrecht, NL.

When in doubt, play the most aggressive move

The most convenient full size set for traveling uses a vinyl board which can be rolled up or folded for packing. You do have to have a flat surface to put it on for playing, theough.

As a go board addict I can say authoritatively - don't worry about it!
If you are going to a tournament the boards will be there.
If you are traveling and want to study/play along the way...
1. Folding magnetic boards are heavy and the little magnets fall out of the stones pretty often
2. The roll-up magnetic board you can buy from YMI is better but it does crack from use and is still heavy. (bought it and use it but never bother to travel with it)
3. All 'real' boards with stones are 'really' heavy once you get the stones in your bag.
4. People don't really like to play with light plastic stones. (My main travel board is a cloth board with plastic stones that I bought 25 years ago for ¥15,000 but my heathen friends still complain about the stones!)
5. Vinyl boards are hard to lay flat after they have been rolled up. (Yes, I have one of those too!)
6. All go boards on the iPad or other tablets are small and somewhat difficult to use by two people trying to play a game. (Actually my board of choice, but since I am still waiting for Anders to give me double tap on SmartGo, there are still some issues )
As always, YMMV!

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Dave Sigaty
"Short-lived are both the praiser and the praised, and rememberer and the remembered..."
- Marcus Aurelius; Meditations, VIII 21

Roll them so that the playing surface is facing out. Then when it's flat, the bend is pushing against the table and not curling up into the air.