Thad: No. Any skill game that has the possibility of a draw does not have this problem because there are ways for P2 to play for the draw as a last resort, which causes P1 to have to take chances, which makes the game winnable for either side. Every time this comes up, I tell whoever will listen that all that needs to be done to fix the P1 advantage at the highest levels of pente is to give both sides the same number of moves. If P2 can pente or take the 5th pair on the move immediately following P1 doing so, then the game would be a draw.

There are other ways of fixing the problem too (different ways of swapping colors early in the game, etc.), but these modifications have always seemed to me to change the essence of the game more than is necessary. As long as there is no way to draw in Pente, the game will be busted, inherently flawed in favor of P1. And that's a shame.