Go Set | Bamboo | Ceramic Stones

Weiqi—known as Go in Japan and the West, and Baduk in Korea—is one of the oldest strategic board games in the world, with origins dating back over 2,500 years in ancient China. Go is celebrated for its elegant simplicity, strategic complexity, and cultural significance. 

• An enriching game to learn and enjoy for a lifetime.
• Improves memory and pattern recognition.
• Sharpens concentration and mental discipline.
• Encourages creative problem-solving and builds emotional resilience.
• Victory depends on a subtle balance of offence, defence, and efficient territory control.
• Played by millions worldwide, both in person and online.
  
• Good value - a stunning set that makes this ancient game accessible to all.
• An excellent gift for a strategy game enthusiast.

This complete Go Set includes:

• Solid bamboo board: 47cm x 44cm, thickness 2cm:
  • One side: Engraved with 19 x 19 lines, forming 361 intersections.
  • The other side: Engraved with 13 x 13 lines, forming 169 intersections.
• 180 white and 181 black single-convex ceramic stones in the traditional Chinese style:
  • Diameter 22mm | Thickness 5mm.
• Two matching bamboo bowls for storing the stones: 15cm x 10cm.
  
• Learn to play Go with “The Magic World of Weiqi – A Beginner’s Guide”.
• Keychain (design may vary from product image).

The Go board and bowls embody bamboo’s smooth grain and warm tone, honouring the game’s deep cultural roots. It is also a naturally durable, sustainable, and lightweight material.

Basic Rules and Gameplay

• The game is played on a square board, traditionally 19×19 lines, creating 361 intersections. Smaller boards (13×13 or 9×9) are also used, especially for beginners or quick games.
• A standard Go set contains 181 black stones and 180 white stones, totalling 361 stones. This matches the number of intersections on a traditional 19×19 board, ensuring there are enough stones to fill every point if needed. Black receives one extra stone because Black plays first.
• Players take turns placing black and white stones (called go-ishi) on the board’s intersections. Black moves first, except when a handicap is given.
• Once placed, stones do not move, but they can be captured and removed if completely surrounded by the opponent’s stones on all orthogonally adjacent points (called “liberties”).
• The main goal is to control more territory than your opponent by surrounding empty areas of the board with your stones.
• There is often no single “best” move. Strong play depends on intuition, pattern recognition, and a deep understanding of shape and flow.
• Go demands a constant assessment of trade-offs: expanding territory, protecting your stones, attacking your opponent’s groups, and managing the “life” or “death” of clusters.