Thad, you said "I agree with Dmitri that draws in pente at IYT should not be permitted."

I said no such thing, not that I can recall. If I did, it was an egregious error, because I absolutely do not agree with tjhat statement. If I did say that it was probably a typo.

I see no reason not to be able to offer a draw. that si not the same as the game actually being in a drawn position. Maybe if my opponnet had a misclick of his mouse and his stone ended up in the wrong place I would offer him a draw instad of taking a win that I might not deserve. I may or may not do that, but the options should be there.

As for what you said about throwing a game so that a friend canadvance--- hogwash. People can do that now. There are doznes of ways to cheat at turn based games, we just assume that people will not use them becasue tre isnlt any reason to.

The same crappy argument cabout cheating was used by IYT to not have rated games. Just because sometihng can bve abused does not mean it should be abolished.

There are exceptions of course. I should not be allowed to own a nuclear missile, for example. BUt for someihtng like draw offers, the possibility of cheaing is not enouhg to eliminate them.