ellieoop, please explain how the restriction takes the fun out of the game for you. I just don't understand that. You say you won several tournaments at IYT. Well, you won thses tournaments playing with incorrect rules! The only major site that acnkowledges the game of pente without the restriction is IYT. NO serious player plays without it, and no player who plays without it is considered aserious player. Please do not take this the wrong way, I do not mean to demean you in any way. I suspect that if you give the restriction a chance, you will excel there also, so why are you so opposed? As one hwo has won tournaments, you no doubt like a good challenge, and you probably enjoy improving your game and developing strong attacks and such. If so, don't you want to play against the top players?

Well, the top players use the restriction. It is just wrong to play without the restriction. A lot of people seem to be of the opinion that the game without the restriction is a good way for beginners to learn. This is not so! that RETARDS their development, it doesn't slowly bring it along as other beginner's "variants" may do.

Thre e have been and will continue to be pente tournament that have cash prizes. One will take place this May in Oklahome City. The restriction is a non0-issue, it is assumed to be in place because the restriction is a part of rules of pente.

I understand that you are accustomed to playing the variant without the restriction, but you aren't really giving any reasons to keep it around.