Go by the board means to be abandoned, lost, or ignored. The correct answer is this meaning because the expression is used figuratively, not only by its literal words.

Examples:

• When money ran out, the expansion plan went by the board.
• In an HSC essay, Go by the board can express this meaning: to be abandoned, lost, or ignored.
• When this expression appears in a passage, connect Go by the board with the idea of to be abandoned, lost, or ignored.