"Your proposed solution is what others and myself have said all long. Except for changing the name of the game that is. Each version could have it's own name, you act like that's a major deal. I would lump them under a Pente banner and then list the versions there. It'd be easy to find. Kind of like what Fencer did with these post boards when he put them under the Line4 and variant heading. People are way ahead of you here"

Walter, the name change was the FOCAL POINT of my solution. You cannot just remove it and then say my colution si what everyone has been saying all along!

WHen a version of pente has the same name as pente, and people then see that is has less restrictions on the opening, they will ASSUME it to be the REAL version, and that the other game (the correct one) is the variant! That is BAD for the game of pente.

There seem to be two conflicting ideas here:

1) the promotion of the game of pente and
2) the enjoyment of the game by non0-serious players and beginners

But, they do NOT have to be conflicting! they can be COMPATIBLE!

WHy not give the game without the restriction a chance? After three months, you might find that you do not haveany interest in the other variant any more.

We HAVE givewn the existence of the no-restriction game a chance, and we have WITNESSED the problams it has caused-- specifically, the setback in development of players because of having to relearn the opening rules. ALso, it has caused confusion as to which is the "real version."