ok...game-joke time..
why do blondes like a large game-board?
because they like lots of room when they play around.

Dmitri: Yes, of course you are right. On a 19x19 board it is VERY unlikely to run out of room.
But still, if it ever happened it would be more likely to happen when not starting in the center. Don`t you agree?
I know this to be the case in pro gomoku (even on a 19x19 board) and cannot see why the same thing wouldn`t apply to pente as well.
I understand there is no sure win for first player in (pro) pente, which would abolish the potential need for more than a certain amount of room?

yep sure was....just plain ole HORSE

It didn't have a name, was just call HORSE.

What is the name of Dudley Do Right's horse?

sundance, this is not exactly true. THe center is not necessarily the best move. I could make my first move 1 away from the center, and I am still in the same position as I was before (the game RARELY goes to the edge of the board). But, it woudl be very confusing to explain the second move restriction and diagram it without having the first move be in the center. I would say the first move restriction neither helps nor hurts either player, it is hte second move restriction that is key. And to answer what Kevin and cleverhunk said, YEs, white still has a significant advantage, top players almost never lose as player 1; but that also makes it a great challenge to come up with clever defenses against the white attack.

is the center the best move?that was my 1st thought.but I remind myself.it matters not where you put your 1st piece.what matters is where you put your 2,3,4th pieces in relation to it.

Actually, the rule that white`s first move must be in the center makes white`s advantage bigger.
This is because without this rule some people would (for some strange reason) NOT start in the center, which is naturally the best place. So now they are forced to make the best move :).

Of course it is the 2nd move restriction which evens up the game.

I think white still has an advantage, despite the opening move restrictions - the advantage is just greatly reduced.

starting on the centre square...removing the white advantage,I can see the point...it's only fair to start the game with no one having an advantage.

Cleverhunk, these are the correct rules for pente and keryo pente. Some other sites, in their carelessness, have not set up the game with the correct rules, which has led to great confusion. I am vey pleased to see Brain King has gotten it right with these two games.

Hi Ian i am sorry to hear your loss, you know where i am if you need to talk, my prayers and thoughts are with you and your family

To (mis)quote Leoncavallo in his opera 'I Pagliacci', 'On with the Muttley'.

cariad, I thought your favourite cartoon was Scooby Doo. I remember you sitting on my knee, watching tv and singing along to the theme music.

Oh, that was last week...

We get Wacky Races AND Dastardly and Muttley via satellite in Greece, along with my favourite - The Flintstones!

NOT a Floosie - Too young, Auntie? HAH!

...were betty boop & jessica rabbit.love her famous line"I'm not bad,I was just drawn that way"

I guess I am too young to remember this Muttley character!!!! But the little thing is sort of cute, and does kind of grow on ya!

Hey, I love Muttley too! I'm all for keeping him. I just find myself making wheezy, asthmatic noises every time I move him...

Now whats wrong with Muttley?, we all loved Muttley with his wheezy little laugh...keep Muttley!

I've ripped this image from some Januschess program but I'll be more than glad to replace it by something better.

Maybe this sparks the idea for a competiton to design the ultimate Janus piece?

Why does the Janus piece look like Muttley from 'Wacky Races'?

Can i just thank all my friends ( mywayrthehiway/goodfoods BIG THX )& playing buddies on BrainKing for there support & messages during our sad time here.

I will do my best to keep up with my games.

Regards Ian (MadMonkey)

Is it just me or is this great site slowing up a bit? I'm having to kickstart with the Refresh button quite a lot.

I have never played MadMonkey but my thoughts go out to him in a big way....I lost both my sister and Mother within 6 weekes of each other and being in a differnet country made it very haed...(((HUGS))) MM and keep the good times sacred my friend :)

On a sad note, this is to let everyone know who plays Mad Monkey (Ian) that his Mum (mother) passed away today on the way to the hospital, March 10, 2003. He asked that we post this to let other players that he plays know that he will try and keep up with his games he is currently playing against while he takes care of his family arrangements.

Our deepest sympathys go out to him.

Thanks for all of your prayers that you have given to him for his Mum.

mywayrthehiway/goodfoods

fencer,thank & congragulation.keryo-pente is a good choice.this is becoming a great site for fun,strategic games.a question,why must we,in keryo-pente,start at the centre? I should/will search for official rules.haved played it before elsewhere,could place pieces anywhwere.not questioning your judgement,just wondered why.

have you ever considered a game for more than 2 players?would anyone like that here(please comment people).have you ever considered chiness chess(xiangql),it has interesting strategy.

I'm wondering if you have any friend in Florida.....bbuuurrrggggeeerr kkiiinnngggg eh!!!
Paybacks are in order for you...my dear blond bombshell!

Anyone have any blonde jokes for Cariad??????

HI all, wanted to announce this tourney for fast/quickie players will start tomorrow. hope you all sign up!!!!! today=====

LOL.. well, if that's a challenge ..?.. ;-D

Niki: OK OK LOL - so i can't read :-) Thanks, guess you want to teach me a lesson at that now as well ?? ;-) x

If you're trying to place your first piece anywhere other than k10 (bang in the middle) it won't let you.
Hope this helps :) xx

Have never played this before, read the rules and trying to now. Its says its my turn & to place a piece on the board, but it won't let me - any ideas anyone :-)

clever hunk, yes, I guess that would be more realistic and manageable for poeple. I'm a total game freak and wouldn't have a problem signing up for EVERY game type!! LOL!! But I know some just enjoy one particualar game type. I think its a great idea. I could always sign up for each tourney in every category, it would still take a lot less time!!

Wow! Congratulations Eddie! You have my vote for BrainGod status.
I'm still lingering on BrainDead status - but you've given hope to a mere mortal!

Ian - Unfortunately the 'local' is 'The Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Arms'. As a Welsh speaker, the Llanfair PG is ok - it's the 'Arms' I have trouble with!

And the legs.

text box posting online takes up less lag than a game move I was told.but the diff is negligible.anyone know he truth?

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't it slow the site down the more chit chat stuff is on it?

cariad.
Try & pronounce it after a few drinks down the local. LoL

thank you fencer for not giving anyone any static about posting jokes.it makes for a nice community feeling.many site operators become great control freaks with many irrational rules about what can be said.people leave real fast.as long as its not vulgar or hate-mongoring.what's the harm.
anyway,my idea,how about a separtate board for "game humour".
also,how about,each week fencer,posting on a board a question.members can post a humourous answer.you could decide on the"best answer of the week".
example question: did you take out the trash?
example answer:yes,to a dinner & a movie.

harley,thanks for the positive attitude.my idea exactly was a tourny that was each player playing each game once with each other player.but this would really be a marathon.more realistic maybe would be this idea,but for just each catagory of game.eg.:a backgammon tourny consising of a match that was 1 of each backgammon game variant.

WTG eddie :-)

got it sunday...

I think its a good idea, wouldn't it be quite easy to have a tournament with all games, and only have an option of 'sign up for all games' at the top of the tourney page, instead of signing for individual ones? It would take less time and for us fanatics that love all the games it would be a great tourney!! Nice idea, CleverHunk, I like your thinking!!

hi fencer..i have an idea.how about a tournament consisting of each player playing 1 game of each of all the games,or just all games in each game catagory.whether or not you like this idea,can you tell me,is it possible to create a tourny like this?anybody thinks this idea is ok?

Oh now come on, MadMonkey - chwarae teg. With your jokes you haven't got any friends to ADD to your list!!!
(Only joking, MM - you're on mine. And red dragon's. And that creature from the Everglades - or is it Disneyworld?)

Two tourists (from Florida) were driving around North Wales when they stopped at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (it's a real place!) for a meal.
One of the tourists called the waitress over and asked, 'Can you please pronounce the name of the place we're in very slowly?'
'Of course,' replied the waitress, 'It's Burrrrgerrrr Kiiiiing.'

Ok, ok, I'm going....

Also... my favourite boards keep disappearing!! Right now I have none listed, I go to main page and they come back!!

MadMonkey, I came on to add that very thing, about adding friends. It also happens if you try to add favourite boards.

Fencer: I have noticed a couple of things the last few days that i am not sure you know about.

1. When trying to add someone to my Friends list, i get HTTP 404 - File Not Found, then if i log back in it has added them anyway, just wondered what was causing it ?

2. In any of the Gammon games, if you lose the first roll of the dice or you can not make a move on your turn, all of (*) signs seem to vanish from our drop down box, till the next game.

MM :-)

There was an old priest who got sick of all the people in his parish confessing to adultery.
One Sunday, in the pulpit, he said, "If I hear one more person confess to adultery, I'll quit!"

Well, everyone liked him, so they came up with a code word. Someone who had committed adultery would say instead that they had 'fallen'

This seemed to satisfy the old priest and things went well until the priest passed away at a ripe old age.

A few days after the new priest arrived, he visited the mayor of the town and seemed very concerned.

"Mayor, you have to do something about the sidewalks in town. When people come into the confessional, they keep telling me they've 'fallen'"

The mayor started to laugh, realizing that no one had told the new priest about the code word. But, before he could explain, the priest shook an accusing finger at him and shouted, "I don't know what you're laughing about, because your wife has fallen three times this week!"

Happy Sunday all ;-)