Which is better? Solid board or playing mat?

[tekesta]

I'm wondering which would be the better choice for a portable set.

This? http://www.chinasprout.com/shop/ATG001

Or this? http://www.ymimports.com/p-2212-34-bamb ... dNNzDvVBBQ

Not long ago I flew out of town for a month and took my Go set with me. The MDF board + Ing stones added quite a bit of weight to the luggage (about 12 lbs). So I began to wonder if my next set should have a sturdy playing mat instead of a solid board. Hard, level surfaces are easy to find for me Much obliged in advance for your kind input.

[judicata]

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of either of the linked options. The mat seems to be too flimsy (and expensive for what it is), and the bamboo board doesn't fold or come apart (and I don't think it would endure much wear and tear).

I recall that YMI used to have some better options--I have a slotted board from them I bought awhile ago.

Maybe something like this? I have absolutely no experience with this particular board, but it is another idea.

[Erythen]

I'm not a fan of either option either but if I had to go with one I'd day the bamboo board.

The mat is nice for travel but really, if you're using it for travel just get a two piece or foldable wood board.

Wood sounds better, feels better and looks MUCH nicer.

Watch E-bay or if you don't mind international shipping and a go-between company then Yahoo Auctions. Both have nice boards at a decent price that pop-up from time to time.

[tekesta]

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of either of the linked options. The mat seems to be too flimsy (and expensive for what it is), and the bamboo board doesn't fold or come apart (and I don't think it would endure much wear and tear).

I recall that YMI used to have some better options--I have a slotted board from them I bought awhile ago.

Maybe something like this? I have absolutely no experience with this particular board, but it is another idea.

The slotted board works. A spruce or katsura one is light enough for travel purposes.

The plastic mat in the photo is not as flimsy as others I've seen out there. About 7 years ago I had that same kind of mat and, believe it or not, it was fairly durable. The one that comes with this set, however, is not very durable and, when I had a set back in 2009, I noticed it would wear quickly. I love the aesthetics, so I'd buy it again, once a sturdier playing mat is included.

Thegogamestore.com has good deals. This one is a bit heavy for my taste, but it has hinges.

The bamboo board eliminates the need for a hard level surface, so I'll be looking to get a solid board set, preferably one with single-convex stones and bamboo board.

[judicata]

The bamboo board eliminates the need for a hard level surface, so I'll be looking to get a solid board set, preferably one with single-convex stones and bamboo board.

All fair. But have you ever handled a bamboo board? They are very heavy in my experience (having owned one from YMI).

[tekesta]

The bamboo board eliminates the need for a hard level surface, so I'll be looking to get a solid board set, preferably one with single-convex stones and bamboo board.

All fair. But have you ever handled a bamboo board? They are very heavy in my experience (having owned one from YMI).

I once had a set from the now-defunct Go-gamestore.com. A reversible Chinese size 13x13/19x19 bamboo board, 2 cm thick, and 23 mm x 6mm yunzi single convex stones. They are durable and heavier than the wooden ones. Also, the snap of a yunzi piece against a bamboo board is louder and rings hollower than that against a wooden board. I do like the aesthetics of such a set, though. I look forward to purchasing one soon.

Another consideration is changes in climate. I live in subtropical South Florida and the sun here is very strong, so an unprotected board can twist, warp, and crack, especially if exposed to the sun. Summers here are very humid, so an unprotected wood or MDF board will absorb water vapor from the air. I have an old sofa cushion case in which I keep my current MDF board when it's not in use. In my case a varnished board might be best. As long as I keep it out of the sun it should be OK. I remember that the worst that happened to my bamboo board when I left it in the car on a hot summer day was very slight lateral bending.

The slotted Go board might be better as far as halved boards go. More rigidity once assembled.

[judicata]

Another consideration is changes in climate. I live in subtropical South Florida and the sun here is very strong, so an unprotected board can twist, warp, and crack, especially if exposed to the sun. Summers here are very humid, so an unprotected wood or MDF board will absorb water vapor from the air. I have an old sofa cushion case in which I keep my current MDF board when it's not in use. In my case a varnished board might be best. As long as I keep it out of the sun it should be OK. I remember that the worst that happened to my bamboo board when I left it in the car on a hot summer day was very slight lateral bending.

The slotted Go board might be better as far as halved boards go. More rigidity once assembled.[/font]

Interesting. I've heard several people complain that their bamboo boards split or cracked, so it seems their durability varies. My bamboo board started to get a small crack (barely noticeable) after sitting in an air-conditioned room out of direct sunlight for a few years.

Best of luck. (Also, did you see YMI's go board rug complete with large stones? awesome.)

[moyoaji]

Don't rule out this YMI set: Magnetic Portable Roll Up Set

This has been my go set since March and I've loved using it. The container is very nice and solid, the stones feel good to play even though they are magnetic, and the fact that you can put the whole thing on a whiteboard just makes it cooler.

It is a bit small compared to a "standard" board and stones, but if you want something for portability I would definitely consider this set.

[Alguien]

At home, I have my beloved beautiful wooden goban with its beautiful stones.

For travel I use my silicone board. It has three very important characteristics that match my travel needs. About half my long range travels are to go scuba diving so:

1 - It's very light. The scuba equipment is very heavy and the lighter everything else is, the less stuff I have to carry on me during the flight.

2 - It's immune to water. You can literally play it underwater and clean it by washing it. Which is good when everything in the room/yacht becomes salty/humid after four or five dives.

3 - It's almost indestructible and cheap. It's immune to hits and pressure; you'd need to stab it several times with a knife to break it and you'd be able to repair it with a bit of scotch tape. And, for its price, if I lost it or found a way of breaking it, I'd just buy another.

[tekesta]

I've been looking for something like the following.

Or this.

This is also acceptable.

@Alguien: I like the silicone board idea. I've seen pictures of silicone boards and I'd like to get one! Would it be possible to find one being sold with single-convex stones, though?

[Alguien]

@Alguien: I like the silicone board idea. I've seen pictures of silicone boards and I'd like to get one! Would it be possible to find one being sold with single-convex stones, though?

I don't know. The ones I got on mine are cheap plastic biconvex.

However, I'm not sure single convex would be a good idea. Something that's not intuitive about silicone is that it has a large friction against plastic. It's hard to move a biconvex stone, even a few millimeters, and I usually pick it up and place it again. It would probably be impossible to move a single convex stone, flat side down.

At the same time, you can play a game with the board over a rock or on a 30º inclined surface (I think you could go to 45º and beyond, but I'd have to test that to be sure). Single convex stones would allow you to play at even steeper angles, but I don't see much use for that.

[judicata]

Well, I think I found the travel go set to beat all travel go sets--available here.

[blacklyche]

Those mats are horrible imo having owned a couple..

There are lightweight "Full size" boards available but a miniature travel set might be more useful for yourself if your luggage space is limited.

Might I suggest that Apps available for Android tablet or an iPad.. or even getting some go software for your laptop as a superior solution? Budget willing of course...

[shapenaji]

If you're coming from chess, you may have been spoiled by the nice vinyl boards. Soft boards are generally a bad idea for go, they don't keep their shape well and go stones are light, so they shift on an uneven surface.