Video Upload Options

References

1. See page at Sensei's Library for a fuller discussion http://senseis.xmp.net/?HandicapsForSmallerBoardSizes
2. Psychologically speaking, Black (the pupil) probably sees blunders as more important in a loss; but White (the teacher) is more aware of getting into the game by means of Black's inefficiencies.
3. Historically, in China, Black and White were constrained to play on diagonally-opposite star points for their first two moves in even games. In Japan, from some point in the sixteenth century perhaps, the board was empty in even games. The consequence was a deeper study of the joseki that in the Chinese system were used only in three-stone handicaps. Those joseki dominated opening theory in Japan, until the shinfuseki period of the 1930s. In contemporary go, the 4-4 point openings are fundamental.
4. Handicap placement convention and effect actually depends on different rule sets, such as Japanese or Chinese rules, and not on different countries. Not all countries have their own rule sets
5. Some servers offer a choice between different rule sets
6. Comparison of some Go rules http://www.britgo.org/rules/compare.html
7. See for example the book Kage's Secret Chronicles. In it more explicit reference is made, than is typical, to the need to fight hard rather than play slackly, in order to use the handicap stones properly. This lesson on influence is at the heart of the traditional system.