To respond to Thad's post:

you say

****** "Here’s another reason I like fun-pente better. I like to play with other players who, like me, just like to play pente. There are scores of us who just want to sit down and have some fun." ********

I have heard this argument many times before. My answer is still the same. 1) for those who just want to sit down and have some fun, why is that not possible with the restriction? I really don't follow this line of reasoning. people can very easily sit down, relax, and have some fun playing the game with the restriction. Just because there is a restriction does NOT mean they have to study books, databases, openings, or become a pente grandmaster. All it means is they have a small restriction on their opening move.

I think a whole lot more is being made of this than it really is. A simple move restriction has been labeled as "the removal of fun from pente," "the removal of elegance from pente," and other similar things. It is just a minor move restriction, nothing more.