diff --git a/src/main/client/src/Game.jsx b/src/main/client/src/Game.jsx
index d58aadf..fc5983e 100644
--- a/src/main/client/src/Game.jsx
+++ b/src/main/client/src/Game.jsx
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ export const Game = () => {
   let currentPlayer = useGameStore(state => state.currentPlayer)
   let counting = useGameStore(state => state.counting)
   let currentColor = useGameStore(state => state.currentColor)
-  let {board, forbidden, gameHasEnded} = useGameStore(state => state.gameState)
-  let [forbidden_x, forbidden_y] = forbidden
+  let {board, forbidden: [forbidden_x, forbidden_y], gameHasEnded} = useGameStore(state => state.gameState)
   let initialized = useRef()
   let canvasRef = useRef()
   let countingGroup = !gameHasEnded && counting() ? getCountingGroup(board, cursor_x, cursor_y) : undefined
diff --git a/src/main/client/src/feature/OpenGames.jsx b/src/main/client/src/feature/OpenGames.jsx
index f43a1ee..4285e86 100644
--- a/src/main/client/src/feature/OpenGames.jsx
+++ b/src/main/client/src/feature/OpenGames.jsx
@@ -141,14 +141,14 @@ function OpenGame({game, acceptableGame, setAcceptableGame}) {
 function AcceptDialog({acceptableGame, onAccept}) {
   let { top, right } = acceptableGame.rect
   let [isFlip, setFlip] = useState(false)
-  let [handi, setHandi] = useState(0)
+  let [handi, setHandi] = useState(1)
   let auth = useAuthStore(state => state.auth)
   return (
     <Form
       onSubmit={() => onAccept({
         game: acceptableGame.game,
         flip: isFlip,
-        handicap: handi,
+        handicap: handi === 1 ? 0 : handi,
       })}
       style={{
         position: "absolute",
@@ -171,18 +171,18 @@ function AcceptDialog({acceptableGame, onAccept}) {
       <div className="mt-2 text-black py-1">
         <div className="inline-flex">
         <span>Handicap:</span>
-        <button type="button" disabled={handi === 0} onClick={() => setHandi(Math.max(0, handi - 1))}>
+        <button type="button" disabled={handi === 1} onClick={() => setHandi(Math.max(1, handi - 1))}>
           <IconContext.Provider value={{
             size: "1.25em",
             className: twJoin(
               "px-1",
-              handi === 0 && "text-slate-400",
+              handi === 1 && "text-slate-400",
             )
           }}>
             <FaAngleLeft />
           </IconContext.Provider>
         </button>
-        <span className="font-bold">{handi === 0 ? 0 : handi + 1}</span>
+        <span className="font-bold">{handi === 1 ? "0" : handi}</span>
         <button type="button" className="" onClick={() => setHandi(handi + 1)}>
           <IconContext.Provider value={{ size: "1.25em", className: "pl-1" }}>
             <FaAngleRight />
diff --git a/src/main/client/src/store.js b/src/main/client/src/store.js
index c4b0ef0..f41cda5 100644
--- a/src/main/client/src/store.js
+++ b/src/main/client/src/store.js
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export const useGameStore = create((set, get) => ({
   moves: [],
   baseBoard: [],
   dim: 0,
+  handicap: 0,
   queueStatus: "behind",
   black: {
     name: "",
@@ -81,6 +82,10 @@ export const useGameStore = create((set, get) => ({
     let moves = get().moves
     let white = get().white
     let black = get().black
+    let handicap = get().handicap
+    if (handicap > moves.length) {
+      return black.name
+    }
     if (!moves.length) {
       return black.name
     }
@@ -91,6 +96,10 @@ export const useGameStore = create((set, get) => ({
   },
   currentColor: () => {
     let moves = get().moves
+    let handicap = get().handicap
+    if (handicap > moves.length) {
+      return BLACK
+    }
     if (!moves.length) {
       return BLACK
     }
@@ -158,7 +167,8 @@ export const useGameStore = create((set, get) => ({
       state.moves = moves
       state.gameState.board = rehydrate(baseBoard)
       state.gameState.forbidden = forbidden
-      state.queueStatue = "up_to_date"
+      state.handicap = game.handicap
+      state.queueStatus = "up_to_date"
     }))
   },
 }))
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/GameController.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/GameController.java
index 76e1835..629535e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/GameController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/GameController.java
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ private int getCurrentColor(Game game, String principal) {
     if (game.gameHasEnded()) {
       return 0;
     }
-    if (game.handicap() != 0) {
+    if (game.remainingHandicap() != 0) {
       return Board.B;
     }
     int color = getColor(game, principal);
@@ -96,8 +96,14 @@ private static int getColor(Game game, String principal) {
     if (!(game.isBlack(principal) || game.isWhite(principal))) {
       return 0;
     }
+    if (game.remainingHandicap() > 0) {
+      if (!game.isBlack(principal)) {
+        return 0;
+      }
+      return Board.B;
+    }
     if (game.isSelfPlay()) {
-      return game.moves().size() + game.handicap() % 2 == 0 ?
+      return game.moves().size() + game.remainingHandicap() % 2 == 0 ?
           Board.B : Board.W;
     }
     return game.isBlack(principal) ? Board.B : Board.W;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyController.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyController.java
index 4a563a2..93709a1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyController.java
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ public ViewGame startEdit(@RequestBody MatchRequest request) {
         0,
         createEmptyBoard(request.dim()),
         request.dim(),
-        0,
+        request.handicap(),
+        request.handicap(),
         new int[]{-1, -1},
         MoveList.create(request.dim())));
     activeGames.put(ActiveGame.fromGame(game));
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyUsers.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyUsers.java
index dc880a8..363f65a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyUsers.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/LobbyUsers.java
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 
 import com.bernd.model.User;
 import com.bernd.model.UserList;
+import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
+
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import org.springframework.stereotype.Component;
 
 @Component
 public class LobbyUsers {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/Game.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/Game.java
index 67aa71b..f6de6bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/Game.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/Game.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ public record Game(
     int[][] board,
     int dim,
     int handicap,
+    int remainingHandicap,
     int[] forbidden,
     MoveList moves
 ) {
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ private Game updateInternal(Move move) {
           .build();
     }
     return toBuilder()
+        .withRemainingHandicap(Math.max(0, remainingHandicap - 1))
         .withBoard(result)
         .withForbidden(NOT_FORBIDDEN)
         .build();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilder.java
index 8c30912..fec9c02 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilder.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ public final class GameBuilder {
 
   private boolean counting;
   private int countingAgreed;
+  private int remainingHandicap;
   private int[][] board;
   private int[] forbidden;
 
@@ -12,6 +13,11 @@ private GameBuilder(Game game) {
     this.game = game;
   }
 
+  public GameBuilder withRemainingHandicap(int remainingHandicap) {
+    this.remainingHandicap = remainingHandicap;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   public GameBuilder withCounting(boolean counting) {
     this.counting = counting;
     return this;
@@ -38,6 +44,7 @@ public GameBuilder withForbidden(int x, int y) {
 
   static GameBuilder builder(Game game) {
     GameBuilder builder = new GameBuilder(game);
+    builder.remainingHandicap = game.remainingHandicap();
     builder.counting = game.counting();
     builder.countingAgreed = game.countingAgreed();
     builder.board = game.board();
@@ -55,6 +62,7 @@ public Game build() {
         board,
         game.dim(),
         game.handicap(),
+        remainingHandicap,
         forbidden,
         game.moves()
     );
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/OpenGame.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/OpenGame.java
index 25dfe33..eb37395 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/OpenGame.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/OpenGame.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public Game accept(String opponent, AcceptRequest acceptRequest) {
         createEmptyBoard(dim),
         dim,
         acceptRequest.handicap(),
+        acceptRequest.handicap(),
         new int[]{-1, -1},
         MoveList.create(dim));
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/ViewGame.java b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/ViewGame.java
index 7f8c587..e624dea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/ViewGame.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bernd/model/ViewGame.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ public record ViewGame(
     User white,
     int dim,
     int handicap,
+    int remainingHandicap,
     List<GameMove> moves
 ) {
 
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ static ViewGame fromGame(Game game) {
         game.white(),
         game.dim(),
         game.handicap(),
+        game.remainingHandicap(),
         game.moves().asList());
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilderTest.java b/src/test/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilderTest.java
index b50c1fa..a0b5500 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilderTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/bernd/model/GameBuilderTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ void unchanged() {
         createEmptyBoard(9),
         9,
         2,
+        2,
         new int[]{-1, -1},
         MoveList.create(2));
     Game game2 = GameBuilder.builder(game).build();