As for the OP question, can we estimate the value of handicap stones using change in reverse komi? There have been experiments in which rather than giving the weaker player handicap stone, instead Black receives a reverse komi. For example, if we know the proper reverse komi for Black instead of placing two stones we could understand the value of thesecond handicap stone.

Bill: To clarity: Yoda was doing this about two-thirds of the way through the game.

So did he mean around 7 pts., or something else? {shrug}

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

OC, we have to qualify that for the strengths of the players. I once gave a handicap of 40 stones, and the game was fairly close. IIRC, I won by 10 pts. But I could never give a reverse komi of 400 pts. The value of the second handicap stone might be about 14 pts. for a pro, about 12 pts. for an amateur shodan, and about 10 pts. for a 10 kyu., to make a guess.

_________________
The Adkins Principle:
At some point, doesn't thinking have to go on?
— Winona Adkins

Visualize whirled peas.

Everything with love. Stay safe.

objection! Your Honour, i am neither Original nor a Poster-child for any sect with its own definition of komi, which the great Lord who knows all has decided to be 10, not 7, and most certainly not a fraction of a bit because there's no such thing - and anyone so overlordly as to offer 40 stones deserves to be given 40 lashes and have to spend 40 days and 40 nights in the desert and be burned at the stake for impudence and forfeit the game henceforth and thereafter for ever more shall be, amen.

i challenge you, mighty Billy, to a game in which you will receive a handicap of 360 stones whether you like it or not, and see how that feels...

PS Alfie may be a Bonny Prince, but Myungwan is the rightful heir to the throne of Sage, and what mr K (or was it Tuamoto, can't remember atoll now, and Big Brother wont let me scroll back to check) says he says about sente is, which i also heard him say somewhere else, like everything he says about anything, spot on, including in the fuseki, which is why it's going into Swim, although, having since looked at that video, she will paraphrase Andrew's explanation as: "the difference between playing there and not playing there" without waving her hands in the air