Free Go Board PDF Generator — Printable Baduk Goban | SheetOwl

Generate a printable Go board in 9×9, 13×13, or 19×19 size with hoshi star points and coordinate labels. Free A4 and Letter PDF download.

A printable Go board (goban) is a grid of intersecting lines where players place black and white stones. The standard full board is 19×19 lines, giving 361 intersections. A 13×13 board is a common choice for intermediate-level games and teaching, taking roughly half the time of a full game. A 9×9 board is used for beginners and for tsumego (life-and-death problems) because the smaller board makes the consequences of each move visible quickly. The star points — hoshi — are small dots at key intersections that serve as visual landmarks for placing handicap stones and for reading the board. Optional coordinate labels (letters A–T across columns, numbers 1–19 up rows, with I omitted to avoid confusion with 1) enable kifu notation, the standard format for recording Go games move by move.

How it Works

Choose the board size: 9×9 for beginners and tsumego problems, 13×13 for intermediate games or faster full games, 19×19 for a standard game. Toggle hoshi star points on to show the traditional landmark intersections — five points on a 9×9, five on a 13×13, nine on a 19×19. Enable coordinate labels if you plan to use the board for kifu recording or problem study with move references. Select A4 (210×297mm) or Letter (215.9×279.4mm) paper. A 19×19 board fits comfortably on A4 with lines about 5mm apart. Download and print at exactly 100% scale. To play on the printed board without stones, use buttons, coins, or pencil marks — two different coins for black and white work well for casual study.

Usage Scenarios

A Go club instructor prints 9×9 boards with coordinate labels for a beginner workshop. Students use pencil marks to record their moves on the printed board as they play, creating a kifu they can review after the game. The small board makes it feasible to replay the entire game in five minutes, which gives beginners useful feedback before their spatial intuition is developed enough to review on a 19×19.
A dan-level player studying joseki (corner sequence theory) prints several 19×19 boards without coordinate labels to diagram variations by hand. She marks move sequences with numbered circles in pencil, draws territory boundaries, and annotates key points with arrows. The paper diagrams become study notes she files by joseki type, building a personal reference library.
A Go teacher preparing lesson materials prints a set of 13×13 boards with hoshi points for an intermediate club session on invasion and reduction strategy. She draws a position from a professional game on the board using pencil, then makes photocopies so each student has an identical starting position to analyse. Students mark their proposed moves on the sheet, which the teacher then uses to drive group discussion.

FAQ

Which board size should I print?

Choose 9×9 for beginners and tsumego (life-and-death) problems, where consequences show quickly. Pick 13×13 for intermediate games or a faster full game taking about half the time, and 19×19 for a standard game with all 361 intersections. A 19×19 board fits A4 with lines roughly 5mm apart.

What are the star points (hoshi) and should I show them?

Hoshi are small dots at key intersections used as visual landmarks and for placing handicap stones. Toggle them on to get five points on a 9×9 or 13×13 and nine on a 19×19. Turn them off for clean diagrams when sketching joseki variations or study notes by hand.

Should I enable coordinate labels?

Enable them if you plan to record games as kifu or study problems with move references. Columns are lettered A–T and rows numbered 1–19, with the letter I omitted to avoid confusion with the number 1. Leave labels off for cleaner diagramming where coordinates aren't needed.

Can I play on the printed board without real stones?

Yes. Use two different coins for black and white, or buttons, for casual study and tsumego. For game review, mark moves directly on the board with pencil and numbered circles, which turns a single printed sheet into a kifu record you can file and replay later.

How do I print the board at the right size?

Set your printer to Actual Size or 100% — never Fit to Page — so the grid stays square and intersections sit at correct spacing. Choose A4 (210×297mm) or Letter (215.9×279.4mm). At 100%, a 19×19 board sits comfortably on A4 with lines about 5mm apart.