DNA Matches

[Donches]

Using one to one matches on GeneMatch with my DNA and distant known relatives I get no matches using the standard segment length of 7. However, if the length is reduced to 3, I get 2 matches. Does anybody know what that means?

Don

[Mart 'n' Al]

Don, different testing companies use different parameters, but very very basically the shorter the match, the more remote it is. There are many many links on the internet that would explain this in great detail.  The testing companies also have a lot of basic information on their own websites. I have limited internet connection at the moment, but I'm sure someone will shortly provide a link to a chart which explains what level of relatedness is indicated by different lengths of matches.

Martin

[Donches]

Many thanks Martin. I've found the various articles on gene matches complicated and I feel no clearer after reading them. perhaps there might be an explanation for my particular question that I haven't found. I was just wondering if a match of only 3 segments did imply a relationship.

Incidentally, talking about matches, you are the spitting image of one of my acquaintences.

[Mart 'n' Al]

Don, "I've found the various articles on gene matches complicated and I feel no clearer after reading them."  It's like that!  This is the chart, now I am at my PC.

http://blog.kittycooper.com/2016/08/how-to-tell-the-relationship-from-the-shared-dna/

I have spent much of the last three months learning about DNA and it is still very complex.  There are good tutorials on YouTube.  Seriously, try and start by watching or reading articles aimed at older children. 

Martin