Since the very same tableboard of Zale does not have exact measures, it will be difficult that mapes had. It is easy to imagine what would happen if the board were small and mapes not, since it could occur that there was not possibility of carrying out rotational turns that could only be done stepping two spheres at the same time. What a nonsense!

As a norm, the length of mapes will not exceed 80% the side of one of the 16 quadrants of the board. The chosen square to measure the size of mape can be anyone of the 16, since they are equal. And the side of the square can be the vertical, or in its defect the horizontal, indifferently. One of the mapes is denominated "white/black" and the other is "black/white", meaning the first term the predominant color in mape and the second the color of the arrow. Although it is certain that on this theme there is no unification and in some places it happens the opposite, people consider the first term refers to the color of the arrow and the second to the predominant color. If a player were used to call it the opposite way as does the other, it will be necesary that both players interchange their mapes.

Finally, with respect to the form, mapes are rectangular woods of an only color (black or white) and with a triangular arrow painted with the opposite color (white or black) in one of the ends. The triangle has to aim towards outside the mape and is an important thing for the rule nº7 of the game (see rules).