I've started a corespondance game against someone 3 stones stronger than me. The game stated : Ranked, No handicap, Automatic Komi. I assumed that there would be a reverse komi applied, but now, it does not look like it. I have black and white has a 6.5 komi. (see included image). So it looks like a standard game with standard komi; taking into account the 3 stones difference, this does not seems resonable to me.

Is this normal for automatic komi or am I reading something wrongly?

Thanks

No handicap means that it will be an even game (i.e. randomly assigned black/white with 6.5 komi). If you had selected yes to handicap then I think it will use komi to further fine-turn the handicap. If you want to use only komi for handicap you'd have to set it manually, I think (for 3 stones, perhaps around -30 points (2*15) and taking black would be around right).

I understand that. My question is regarding the automatic Komi and the fact that it has been set to 6.5 for white instead of a reverse komi. Doesn't "automatic komi" sets the komi according to the strength difference between the opponents?

You set "No handicap", therefore it will be an even game. Reverse komi is not an even game. Even game means: either player has a 50% chance of getting black/white, and the player who gets white gets komi to compensate for black's starting advantage. Automatic komi, in that case, just means to use the system default for even games for the rule set chosen, which is 6.5 for Japanese/Korean and 7.5 for Chinese/AGA.

So, since I accepted a no handicap ranked game, I'm pretty much playing a game against a stronger player without any compensation at all... g r e a t.... I'll get wiped!

3 stones isn't that much. According to the EGF rating system, upon which the OGS one is based (IIRC), a 9k has a better than 10% chance of winning against a 6k. Go for it!

Well I fell into the 90% in this game...

Well … this happens often, I think; probably more often than the other way ’round. But I have also, sometimes, won even games against stronger players, even when playing White.

However … losing such a game doesn’t stigmatize the weaker player, does it? I remember how once I was so happy to lose a game … against a 4k IIRC … by 0.5 points Then again I’ve lost even games against 16k or 18k players … which makes my self-esteem crumble for some time, but we have to move on, right?

“Get up again, adjust the crown, walk on.”

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“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” — Mark Twain ★ Come and play on OGS