> ... could we simply expand the board size a few spaces... People occasionally experiment with other sizes, such as 21x21 boards. The size of the board has a

> ... could we simply expand the board size a few spaces... People occasionally experiment with other sizes, such as 21x21 boards. The size of the board has a strong impact on the nature of the game, though. The obvious change is that larger boards take longer to complete, putting humans at a disadvantage if fatigue comes into play. Less obvious is that 21x21 changes the value of tradition strategies. It is generally considered equivalent to play for board-edge territory as for central influence on a 19x19 board, but on 21x21 playing for the easily-defended outer regions is too small. The value of the center means that it's more valuable to play for central influence instead. To answer your question in short: it's possible, but expanding the board size could make the game unfamiliar and decrease the effective ranking of pros.