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Gary, to address what I wrote early, I found out the first time a draw was
given 1/2 point in a tournament match.  It was in 1867:

http://www.logicalchess.com/info/history/1800-1899.html
1867.09.01 1st time draws count as 1/2 point - Dundee International.

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/steinitz.htm
In September, 1867 Steinitz took second place in the Dundee International
in England (won by Neumann). This was the first tournament in which draws
were not replayed, but counted as a half a point.


In the past, if a game was drawn, they replayed it.  So, your comment
about, 'playing chess as it had been played for hundreds of years'
isn't exactly true for this invention, which is less than 150 years old. 
And, my take is this invention is wearing out of gas, and producing too
many draws.

In light of this, can you please defend that this is the optimal way chess
should be played, if the invention is less than 150 years old?  Can anyone
here?