Copy of a message from me to samwise 4-3-3
Seeing how IYT isn't too costumer orientated except as it applies to it helping their bottom line, I think they only started the 13 X 13 game board so that they could get people with WebTV connections to join their service without realizing the ramifications of what it does to the game or the people that play it at the championship level. Apparently the 19 X 19 board doesn't show on WebTV, though I haven't ever seen it. The owners of BrainKing have had to accomodate this reality too, but also some people like to play the game on the smaller board as compared to the larger one. This has infuriated some players of the standard game and that has been what has caused the postings of recent note. Now there's a different set of players because of IYT game that have never played Pente using the standard 19 X 19 board and might feel threatened about the demise of the 13 X 13 board if the others hold sway with the owners of the various web sites. Plus the move restriction being used or not seems to get everyone on edge too. Some of the better 13 X 13 players from IYT are playing Gary Barnes with him going first on the 13 X 13 board so he can demonstrate to them that the player that moves first has an overwhelming advantage when the move restriction isn't used even when the game is played on the smaller board.