Chapter 2 — The Board, Stones, and the First Move
The Go board, traditionally known as a Goban, is essentially a simple grid of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines. Unlike chess or checkers, where pieces are placed inside the squares, Go stones are placed directly on the intersections (the points where the lines cross each other).
19x19 Full Board
13x13 Training Board
9x9 Beginner Board
When you look closely at a Go board, you will notice small, bold dots on certain intersections. These dots are called Star Points or Hoshi. On a standard 19x19 board, there are exactly 9 star points. They serve as convenient visual reference points to help players estimate distance and area across the massive grid. Additionally, they mark the specific locations where handicap stones are placed when players of different skill levels play together.
The star point located at the very center of the board (the intersection of the 10th horizontal and 10th vertical line) has a special name: Tengen. In Japanese, Tengen translates to the 'Origin of Heaven' or 'Center of the Universe'. It acts as the ultimate balancing point of the board and holds significant strategic and symbolic importance.
Tengen: The central intersection of the Go board.
Conceptually, players divide the board into three main zones: the corners, the sides, and the center. The edges of the board are critical because they act as natural, indestructible boundaries. Because of these boundaries, it is much easier to secure territory in the corners first, then along the sides, and finally in the center. We will explore this fundamental strategy in detail in later chapters.
The strategic zones: Corners (Red), Sides (Blue), and Center (Green).