Most games handle skill gaps badly — either the stronger player wins every time or they must play deliberately worse. Go solves it cleanly, which is why beginners and masters can share a board and both find the game interesting.
Komi
Black moves first, which is worth roughly six points on a full board. Komi compensates White with a fixed number of points added at the end: 6.5 on 19×19 and 13×13, 5.5 on 9×9 here. The half point exists purely to prevent draws.
The exact value has drifted upward over the last century as analysis improved — it was 4.5, then 5.5, then 6.5 — which is a nice illustration of how finely balanced the game is.
Handicap stones
For larger skill gaps, the weaker player places stones on the board before the game starts and White moves first. Each stone is worth roughly one rank of difference, so a two-stone handicap suits a two-rank gap.
The stones go on the star points — the marked intersections — in a standard order, spreading them evenly so the advantage is positional rather than concentrated. With a handicap, komi is normally set to zero or half a point.
Choosing the number of stones
| Skill gap | Handicap |
|---|---|
| Equal | No stones, standard komi |
| One rank | Black plays first, no komi |
| Two to nine ranks | That many stones, no komi |
| More than nine | Play a smaller board instead |
If one player wins consistently, adjust by a stone. A well-set handicap means both players win about half the time, which is the point.
How to play with a handicap
For the player receiving stones: you are already ahead, so play solidly. Answer approaches, keep groups connected, avoid complicated fights. The stronger player wins handicap games by creating chaos, so refusing chaos is the strategy.
For the player giving stones: you cannot win by playing normally, because a direct territory race is already lost. You must create positions where a mistake is likely — invade, complicate, and take risks that would be unsound in an even game.
Handicap games teach the most
The weaker player learns how strong players attack weak groups. The stronger player learns to create complications. Both are more instructive than an even game.
On this board
The game here uses komi automatically — 5.5 on 9×9 and 6.5 on the larger boards — and it is included in the final count. There is no handicap-stone setting, but you can produce the same effect by choosing your colour and, if you want a handicap, simply placing your first few stones on the star points before the opponent gets going.
Switching the board size is the other lever. A stronger opponent on 9×9 is a very different proposition from the same opponent on 19×19, where there is far more room for a positional advantage to accumulate.