Cutting the wood

Cutting the wood

Cutting the wood is the first step in making a Go board. The blocks cut to make boards have two kinds of grain: masame (straight or regular grain) and itame (all other grains). Itame blocks are of two types: from the outside of the tree and from near the centre. To see what kind of cut the board is, one looks at the front or the back (i.e., the sides where the players sit, which are a little shorter than the left and right sides).

◆	Straight-grain boards
	A kaya tree has to be hundreds of years old before it can supply a block big enough to make a Go board with straight or regular grain. The grain on the playing surface is straight and well-defined, making a beautiful board. It's the most enjoyable kind to play on. Boards in which the grain is straight from top to bottom on the sides, as well as on the surface, is called tenchimasa. If the grain is straight only on the playing surface, it's called tenmasa.
	A tenmasa board	The grain viewed from the side
◆	Itame boards
	As mentioned above, there are two types. The grain is either a 'U' pattern (called 'ki-ura') or an upside-down 'U' pattern (called ki-omote).
	Ki-ura board
	These boards have relatively few defects, making them good boards to play on.
	A ki-ura board	The grain viewed from the side
	Ki-omote boards
	The boards have the upside-down 'U' pattern. The surface cracks easily; likewise, defects easily occur on the reverse side. They are therefore ranked at the bottom, but actually they are also enjoyable to play on. Their low prices often make them a bargain.
	A ki-omote board	The grain viewed from the side.