I'm a total neophyte and have barely managed to work up to playing 13X13 games against Igowin HD . I often win or lose by huge amounts (like 50 points or more) while my "rating" stays about the same. Is this normal ?

Yes.

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Welcome to L19.

Yes, that's normal. Even between professionals, when the winner depends on the life or death of a large group, the gap in the score may be large - +40 for one side if the group lives, +30 for the other side if the group dies. (Although once an professional knows that he is insurmountably behind, he or she will usually resign, so the game will appear as B+R rather than B+40.)

Between beginners, on the other hand, the players frequently don't know which groups are safe and which are in danger of dying, let alone what that implies for the score. So you might have dozen big captures or kills in a single game. Sometimes each side has had equal victories and the overall outcome is quite close, but just as often it isn't. Nothing to be worried about.

Yes it makes perfect sense now you mention it. It would be odd if my game scores were any closer than they are! Also, thanks for the welcome.