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In the AGA rules it states: 12) Counting: There are two methods for counting the score at the end of the game. One is based on territory, the other on area. The players should agree in advance of play which method they will use. If there is no agreement, territory counting shall be used.
So, either scoring method is allowed by the rules and territory is default. This is contrary to what is written on the page, which states area scoring is used. I will change the page to reflect these facts.
How do AGA rules score handicap games? If it is true area scoring, then the handicap stones count as points. But then, the territory counting method will not give a result equal to the area count, regardless of pass stones. I skimmed the full text of the rules briefly, but didn't see an answer to this.
From the AGA Rules:If the players have agreed to use area counting to score the game (Rule 12), White receives an additional point of compensation for each Black handicap stone after the first. (Black would otherwise gain an additional point of area for each handicap stone.)
Gotcha, I missed that last bit. Thanks.
This means that in a handicap game, when territory counting (J) and area counting agree, either AGA counting method produces a score of J+1 (Black scores being positive). If the rule was changed to give White n stones compensation in an n stone handicap game (as in the chinese rules), it would eliminate this discrepancy, but mean that the Last Move Rule would need changing to account for the fact that in handicap games White is (now) the player who moves first.