Go Equipment: Board, Stones, and Bowls
A physical Go set is beautifully simple: a wooden board marked with a grid, a pile of black and white stones, and two bowls to hold them. You need none of it to play online, but knowing the real equipment helps the game make sense — and it is a pleasure in its own right.
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What's in a Go set
- A board (goban) marked with a grid of lines — 19×19 for the full game.
- Black and white stones: a full set has 181 black and 180 white, enough to fill the board.
- Two bowls (go ke) to hold the stones and to collect captured prisoners.
The board (goban)
Boards range from thin folding boards to thick floor tables of solid wood. The grid is slightly taller than it is wide, because players traditionally sit looking across it and the proportions correct for the viewing angle. Small dots called star points mark reference intersections on the grid.
Stones and bowls
Everyday stones are glass or plastic; prized traditional sets use slate for black and polished clamshell for white, which feel wonderful and make the game's characteristic click. Black gets one extra stone because black plays first. You will not fill the board in a normal game — the count just guarantees you never run out.
Frequently asked questions
- How many stones are in a Go set?
- A full set has 361 stones — 181 black and 180 white — enough to cover every point on a 19×19 board. Black has one more because black plays the first move.
- What are Go stones made of?
- Common stones are glass or plastic. Traditional high-end sets use slate for the black stones and polished clamshell for the white, which are heavier and produce the satisfying click Go is known for.
- Do I need equipment to play Go?
- Not to play here — everything runs in your browser, free and with no account. A physical set is lovely to own, but you can learn and play the full game online without buying anything.
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