yes holes have everything to do with it.. otherwise they would never have been put into the game. it makes the game more random. If for example White makes his first move into a place whre noo pts can be made black now has the the first move technically. ---- since there is no threat. so in this instance perfect play has everything to do with it. Tempo is the key. if you do not know what tempo means here it is, as basic as i can keep it. tempo means you have the intitiative, you can gain this away from white if one of these things happen the hole selection is not favorable to white and if black sarifices small 3pt moves to set up one 10 pt move. which is quite easy. hole placement is everything if it were an open game with no holes i'd agree white will always WIN or at least not ever lose. If black plays to mimic then balck cant win either.