On Apr 27, 8:48 am, "David Kane" wrote:

Personally I think the rules should be designed so that tie matches
are statistically very improbable and giving the champion tie-odds
is only a very small advantage. But that is contrary to the game's
traditions.

My thinking is in that direction as well, but, as noted, it is partly
because I suspect, based on what I've read recently about _komidashi_
in Go, that this could be part of a strategy that could lead to the
return of pre-Steinitzian fireworks in Chess, of which I've submitted
an example for discussion.

And, of course, in some discussion I've noted that my chief aim is to
address what I believe to be the main complaint of those who say that
Chess has problems - its popularity as a *spectator* sport, not its
popularity as something play themselves for amusement, which may be in
good health as some say, aided by Internet servers, or which may be in
trouble due to rival distractions about which nothing reasonable can
be done.

If videogames are ever banned, it will be because the government wants
more children playing baseball so they will not be too fat to become
soldiers, not because we want more chessplayers.

John Savard