Thad -

You're pushing your luck BIG time! Fencer has agreed to make the restriction optional on Small Pente and Small Keryo Pente. I agree that the ratings will now be invalid for that game. After all, I could just play EVERY game as player 1 WITHOUT the restriction and NEVER lose (unless I fell asleep) and eventually get some astronomical rating. To prove the point, I think I was something like 400+ and 0 in tournament no-restriction Pente games at IYT as player 1. Am I proud of that? Not at all. I was playing starting with a forced win every time.

But it is you, Walter, and Pioneer54 that have effectively created this invalid ratings situation by barking so loudly. So I guess I have little sympathy for the situation. After all, it's Fun-Pente, right? If it's Fun-pente, then why would you CARE about ratings?!

My suggestion is for Fencer to do EXACTLY what he stated that he would do. It gives us what WE want and it gives YOU what you want. And it is the least effort for him to placate the MOST people. That suggestion is to make the restriction OPTIONAL on ONLY Small Pente AND Small Keryo Pente EXACTLY like they have it at IYT. Pioneer54 has even made the point that the restriction SHOULD be lifted SPECFICIALLY on a 13x13 board in Keryo Pente because the advantage of player 1 is less than on the 19x19 board. (I don't agree with it, but that is his case and Fencer is offering to remove the restriction on the smaller board.)

I do NOT think Fencer should make any special provisions for the ratings. Just mix ALL the no-restriction and restriction games together all in one bucket! Once again, I will state that it is FUN-pente, so the fact that the ratings won't mean much should not bother MOST FUN-pente players. And most serious players won't even choose to bother with such a game.

That is the easiest way for Fencer to go. BUT...I am being generous in my response here. My TRUE feeling is that un-restricted games of Small Pente should NOT be rated AT ALL! That is EXACTLY like it was up until a few months ago at Dweebo's Stone Games (DSG). Now as far as I know, the no-restriction game is not even ALLOWED at DSG. Also you will NOT find the no-restriction games, even in non-tournament play, at www.gamerz.net where the world championships are held.

So you see there is actually TWO sites that do NOT have no-restriction Pente. ONLY IYT has it and you should feel VERY fortunate that Fencer has agreed to at least allow the OPTION on the smaller boards here.


Gary