Bot Strength Verses Player Strength

Are bot strength levels actually reflective of human OGS players of the same rank? My assumption currently is that low ranked bots are actually much weaker than their human counterpart, and higher ranked bots are more accurately matched to their human equivalent (equal or slightly greater strength).

What are your thoughts when comparing a match against a bot verses a match against another person of the same rank? Do they feel the same in difficulty?

I’m asking primarily because I played the 12k bot (noob_bot_2), with the assumption that we would be evenly matched (my ranking is inaccurate, the highest I attained was 14k in 2016), but the bot seemed to play really randomly: making clumps, following me around the board, and mirroring my moves even to it’s own detriment. It got to the point where I felt as though any random half-baked move would beat the bot. I understand there may have been some changes in the ranking system while I was gone (5-6 years), but it really just doesn’t sit right with me (I should be at best 14k, or more likely worse since I haven’t played in so long).

If it turns out that the bots are correctly ranked and reflect current player strength, my new rank will feel completely unearned…

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I was about 8k.
Then the new rating system arrived and now I am 4k but my strength is the same.

Please don’t think about your rank as an absolute measure: OGS rank is different from others.
It’s only meant to compare people on this server.

If you feel stronger than 12k bot, probably you are, here on OGS.
But probably humans are better for comparison.

Also weak bots usually are quite stupid in a repetitive way. Humans are much more original at stupidity! :grin:

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I think it depends who is playing them. Bots, especially weak ones, have very different play style. If you are used to playing bots or a particular bot then it is going to seem weaker than it’s stated rank. If you aren’t used to playing bots then one that is supposed to be the same rank as you may seem stronger because you’re not used to it’s weird style of play.

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