Calculating Matches on Gedmatch: Why CentiMorgans (cM) are more important than SNPs

I have discovered that very very very few people know this, so it is worth posting.

The different testing companies, 23andme, Ancestry, FTDNA, etc. all test slightly different SNPs.  In other words, the "points" on the genome, the "genes" that are tested vary from company to company.

I have seen some people on Gedmatch dismiss a match because "it doesn't have enough SNPs."  Or because "it's not above the SNP threshold."

Gedmatch itself uses a 7 cM and 700 SNPs match to qualify someone as a cousin.

The SNP part is faulty thinking.

Because the testing companies don't test the same SNPs, you can have long stretches that match with a low number of SNPs.

Case in point: Someone who tested on 23andme like I did matched me for 10.0 cM and 1024 SNPs.  That same person on FTNDA matched me for 10.0 cM but just 510 SNPs.  FTDNA tested half of the SNPs that 23andme did (or half of the same set). 

This is key to grasp.  Expect closer matches to you on Gedmatch if your kits start with the same letter (i.e. M for 23andme, F for FTDNA, and A for Ancestry.)  DO NOT DISMISS LOW SNP MATCHES.