komi
The scoring compensation given to White for moving second.
Also known as
komidashi
Komi—also called komidashi—is a fixed number of points added to White’s score, or deducted from Black’s effective score, because White plays second. Its purpose is to balance Black’s first-move advantage in an even game.
The value is set by the ruleset. A fractional value such as 6.5 points is common, allowing an otherwise even game normally to avoid a tie. Both the amount and the way komi is handled during counting can vary by ruleset and historical era.
Komi is a scoring adjustment, not a handicap stone and not a change to the board position. In handicap games, the rules may use reduced komi or no komi at all.
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