Thanks Istvan for posting those new rules for the opening of Pente. I believe those rules are very effective in balancing the game for the two players. Although they may seem overcomplicated, the rules have been very carefully though out and each part is important. For instance, a simpler method which has been used for Gomoku is the pie-rule where the second player has the option to swap after the third stone is played. That simple pie rule is a disaster, guaranteeing a win for player 2. Don Banks has another variant which is a little simpler than Stepanov's and is also effective -- the first player places the first four stones, then the second player has the option of either color (it is important that the same player place all four stones as opposed to the simple pie rule in gomoku, where the players alternated).

Anyway, the thing Pente needs now is an organization to discuss and implement possible rule changes such as these -- and that will start to happen next month in Oklahoma City! We will start a World Pente Federation that will help run local live tournaments and possibly oversee some "official" internet live or turn-based tournaments.

It is difficult to establish the group as the official Pente organization until we can find out who has the rights to Pente and work with that company or obtain the rights ourselves. But in any case we will have a group that will help promote Pente.

-Mark