Walter:

"Why suddenly outlaw it for a game that isn't even played except by waterdancer? He made it up, let him play it his way."

outlawing is a strong word to use here. We are just tryin to figure out the best way to play this new variant, if at all. You say we should let Waterdancer play it his own way just because he made the game? Well, Waterdancer is here ASKING for input as to how his game could be made viable and interesting enough for pente players to want to play it. obviously he can do wjhatever he wants, but everyone else can do the asme and ignore the variant altogether. I do not think his intent is to just do whatever he wants, because he seems receptive to suggestions.

NOw, about draws in general. The opint of a board game is to WIN. It really irritates me that so many people choose to overlook or ignore this fact in part of in full. Even those who play for fun are still trying to make the necessary moves to WIN theg ame. Well, why have a draw possible if it doesn't have to be? I tihnk a game designed such there MUST be a winner is a well designed game! In some games there is no way to avoid a draw, but in pente thtree is. But your reasoning for allowing draws to occur seems to be "well, why not allow draws to occur?"

When a game can so easily be made to NOT have draws, why have them at all? How does it is any way make the game better?

you said "This whole culture of insisting on having a winner cheapens a lot of sporting contests. "

I disagree. I suppose having the world series, NBA finals, or Super Bowl be declared a tie wuold be acceptable to you?

Why are so many people against the idea that some people are going to win and some people are going to lose? I don't asee how breaking a tie in any way cheapens anything.

remember the all star game lkast year in baseball? It was declared a tiw and there was uproar, the fans felt cheated.

As for pente for opints. I think this is just an outright terrible idea. Soemone who has allowed his opponent to make a 5 in a row could win by extending a bunhc of meaningless 3s before resigning to his opponent's double 3 threat. I cannot comprehend how that scenario would make sense to anyone. that's like saying "if you chekcmate your opponent but he has more pieces that you do, he wins."

The entire basis of the game of pente is supposed to make 5 in a row or make 5 captures (hence the name pente). Creating a situation where the player who accomplished this task LOSES is just asinine to me.

ONe final thought on the draw situation for waterdancer's variant. I would like to propose that there is no draw at all. When a piece is placed, if it is poofed, it CANNOT make any acptured that it would make if it stayed on the board. if a PENTE does not cunt when a piece is poofed, why should a capture? this is blatantly inconsistent! so if I make a winning capture, but MY piece gets poofed for mjy opponent's winning capture, he wins and I lose. So now I am not even sure what the fuss is all about.