Covers for Go and Shogi Boards (Ban-ooi): Why Cloth, Why Not Plastic, and How to Measure

A cover for a wooden go or shogi board should be breathable cloth. A plastic or polyester cover keeps dust off, but it also traps moisture against the wood — the opposite of what a solid-wood board needs.

In Japan the cloth laid over a board has a name of its own: ban-ooi (盤覆い, “board cover”). This page explains what a ban-ooi does and does not protect against, how to choose the material and the shape, how to measure your board, and how to use the cover so it helps rather than harms.

What a cover protects against — and what it does not

Knowing the job of the cover makes the choice much easier.

🔑 A cover is extra protection for a board that is already in the right place. Put a board by a sunny window or in a damp corner, and a cover will not stop it warping or cracking. Choose the place first:

• Out of direct sunlight.
• Away from heaters, air conditioners and their airflow.
• Not where air blows straight across it — Japanese board makers specifically warn against places where wind blows through.
• Not shut away where damp collects, such as the back of a closet.

More on everyday care is in Caring for a Go Board.

Choosing the material: does it breathe?

Look at the colour, too. Deeply dyed cloth can transfer its colour onto the board with humidity or the sweat from hands. For the part that touches the bare wood of the playing surface, choose a pale or colourfast cloth. If you are unsure, wash the cover once and check it does not run before using it.

Choosing the shape: legged board or table board

Legged boards: a cover that goes over the top

Thick Japanese boards on legs (ashitsuki-ban) take a bag- or box-shaped cloth that slips over the board from above. There are two main types:

• Covers the board only — the legs stay visible. Protects the playing surface and the sides from light and dust.
• Reaches down over the legs — keeps dust off the legs too. Make sure it is short enough not to drag on the floor, so the cloth does not soak up moisture from below.

Table boards: a bag or a box

Thinner table boards are often carried around or put away on a shelf, so a bag you slide the board into is usually more practical than a drape.

• Cloth board bag — light and easy to use. Again, choose a breathable fabric.
• Wooden box — protects best against knocks, but only if the place where it is stored is not damp.

Measuring: use the real board, not the catalogue

Choose a cover to fit your board’s actual measurements. Boards sold under the same name differ in size depending on the maker and the thickness.

Measure three things:

1. Length — the playing surface, front to back as the players sit
2. Width — the playing surface, side to side
3. Thickness — the height of the board’s side. For a cover that reaches over the legs, also measure from the floor to the playing surface.

• A go board is not square. It is slightly longer front to back than it is wide. Choose as if it were square and one side will be loose and the other tight.
• Allow a few centimetres of ease. A cover that is slightly loose goes on and off easily and does not rub the corners. One that fits exactly rubs the corners every time.

Using it: do not leave it on forever

A cover is not something you put on and forget.

• Wipe the board with a dry cloth before covering it. Cover a board with skin oil and dust still on it, and you simply seal them in.
• Take the cover off from time to time, especially when the board is not being used for a long while, so moisture does not stay trapped under the cloth.
• Wash the cover now and then. Dust that collects in the cloth ends up back on the board. After washing, let it dry completely before putting it back.
• Never put a damp cover on the board — for example, a board bag that got wet on the way home in the rain.

Where to get one

• Ask the shop where you bought the board. Some offer covers made to the board’s size, and a cover sometimes comes with a legged board, so ask when you buy.
• Buy a ready-made cover — check the size chart against the measurements you took.
• Improvise for now — a plain, breathable cotton cloth a little larger than the board will do until you find a proper cover.

FAQ

All I have is a plastic cover. Should I replace it straight away? If it has been left on for a long time, replace it or take it off. Trapped moisture can cause mould and discolouring. Until you find a cloth cover, leaving the board uncovered somewhere out of the sun is safer.

If the board is covered, is it fine next to a window? No. A cover blocks some light, but not the swings of temperature and humidity near a window. Move the board first.

Can I put a desiccant or moth repellent under the cover? Better not. A desiccant can dry the wood too quickly and contribute to cracking, and a moth repellent’s smell can get into the wood. Humidity is best managed by where the board is kept.

Related pages

• Caring for a Go Board
• Go Board Wood Grain
• Buying a Used Go Board
• Japanese Shogi Piece Types

This page sets out a general approach to choosing and using a cover for a go or shogi board. Boards made of different woods and finishes may need different handling; for a valuable board, ask the shop you bought it from or its maker.