Kevin, you just summed up why I am so against the 13 X 13 board. As you said, most of the games are the same. Well,why bother then? That doesn't really qualify it as a variant. And the few games that are affected, well, that is a few too many! none of the games should be restricted by the board edge, that is not what the game is about.

BUT.. and I want to make this clear-- the 13 X 13 board DOES serve a purpose-- as Fencer has said (and I have agreed with), the web TV users need the 13 by 13 board to play.

But they do NOT need the restriction removed, so why do it? Why make an unneeded change on top of changing the board such that the web TV users can play?

Again, the overwhelming reason seems to be "why not."

Well, answering "why not" to a question of "why" hardly qualifies as an answer!

If the 13 X 13 game existed with the restriction, everyone would be happy. The web TV users could play, and no one would be learning the game with the wrong opening moves. IF the web TV users then got a different internet access set up and wanted to move on to the real pente game on the 19 X 19 board, they could, without the frustration of realizing that their moves that they have been making are no longer allowed.

Also, that would maintain the integrity of all the games with "pente" in their names, which I think is important.