Go Sets (UK Historic)

You will have probably seen, or seen pictures of, the usual type of Go board and stones in common use by clubs and at tournaments throughout the world. If not here's a picture of a table Go board and another of a luxury floor Go ban and some typical glass stones. Also there are some pictures of sets recently sold in the UK.

This page shows pictures of some Go sets that are a little different and have been on sale in the UK at some time in the past. The board and stone sizes are included when the set is smaller than normal size. In addition to plastic, wood or card stones that have been included in sets, there have also been sets with coloured glass and black and white marbles (that sit in hollows on the board). Please send us pictures of any sets we do not have in our collection.

There are also some sets on display in some museums in Britain.

The Ponnuki Go Set was on sale in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It came in a black carry back and was a smaller size than standard (plastic board grid 18mm x 19.5mm). The lens-shaped glass stones were 17mm x 5.5mm.

The Ariel Go set was made by Philmar Ltd of London in the 1960s. There were editions with lens stones but most had flat plastic stones 16mm x 3mm. The card board has grid of 18mm x 20mm and a 10x10 board on the reverse. The rules booklet was by the late John Barrs.

This set was on sale in high street stores such as Smiths in the later 1970s. The rules booklet is by R. C. Bell. The stones are 12mm x 5mm wooden dowels. The board grid is 19mm square.

In 1998 Carlton produced their Go Pack which included the book "The Game of Go" by Matthew Macfadyen. The lens stones are 15mm x 4mm and fit the board grid of 15mm x 17mm. On the reverse of the 19x19 board is a purple 9x9 board 19mm x 20.5mm. Photo of reverse side

To accompany Charles Matthews' book, "Teach Yourself Go", in 1999 Payday Games sold some Czech-made stones in a matching cover. The 19x19 and 9x9 Go mats are also Czech and fit well with the stones (13x13 mats also available).

This boxed set made entirely from card and paper came from German in 2001. The 19x19/13x13 board folds in four and there is a 9x9 board too. The flat card stones are 20mm (the same size as the square board grid) and 2mm high.

Produced by House of Marbles and dated July 1975. The board is 440mm x 407mm, 23mm thick and is made of two bonded (edge to edge) pieces of what appears to be pine. The dimples are 20mm apart. Included are 189 black and 191 white 13mm marbles and the JAL/BGA rules leaflet. (Photos and info from Alex Carey)

Payday Games produced various sets their most popular set being the Play Go Today 1B set, with 13x13/9x9 plywood board, plastic stones in bags and rules written by Gerry Mills. The range was continued until 2017 by Pentangle Games and Puzzles. Another popular set for beginners was a 9x9 set in a box.

Vladimir Danek in the Czech republic manufactures and sells reasonably priced equipment. Shown with one of his 9x9 Go boards are a set of thin plastic stones manufactured by a previous Czech outfit in the early 90s. The rectangular bowls have loose fitting lids in a variety of colours. They were packaged in a rough card box with a Czech rules leaflet.

Ing Stones are issued in measuring bowls so that you retain the full set of 180 stones for Ing fill-in counting. The big bowls are the Mark 2 variety from the early 1990s, with string carry bag. The small bowls form an Ing 13x13 set from 2003. The stones contain small lead weights so they drop evenly down the holes in the measuring bowls.

Gostelow Boards

Gostelow Boards were made for nearly 30 years by BGA member Dan Gostelow, prior to his death in 2004.