[Grandpa Kim]

When I first started playing PBW, there was no mention of gaminess. If it was possible, you could do it, no questions asked. Now it seems if I take a deep breath someone complains. Things I've been doing routinely are now being questioned. I'd like to say, I don't know why, but I have some ideas.

#1. Pre-arranged excuse. "I lost because this was allowed". Since it can't possibly be the players own fault, he finds something to blame.

#2. Boredom with the standard rules. This one makes sense. By calling something gamey, you have a good enough reason to ban it from the game. But I do think most people are like Tesco: put it in the house rules and we will follow those rules. If it ain't there, it's allowed, gamey or not.

Mostly, the extremes some people go to to whine about perceived inequities are making me see why many people prefer to play within their own crowd. In fact, I'm leaning that way myself. Constant bickering and complaining about something that "should have been disallowed" is a real turn off and takes a good portion of fun out of the game. It's been said before: If you want a dead even game, play chess.

I do think all the talk about gamey moves has brought these whiners out of the woodwork and they now feel justified in pointing out every little bump in the road-- and we supplied them with the ammo! This is unfortunate because the subject should be discussed if only to make the list Fyron has started. But if you join a game, you accept the rules-- no whining, no *****ing and smile when you bite the dust.

(Hmm, that sounds like a rant... not my intent.)