One can make an argument in favour of pass being prohibited during opening and middle game. Not because of the rules of play but because of the tournament rules contained in J1989. The required spirit of good sense and mutual trust, or sportsmanlike behaviour as Western tournament rules might say, implies that "compete in skill" and the aim of the game in §1 (to be corrected by prisoners) requires players to attempt seeking good moves, an early pass is an obviously bad move so is prohibited.

However, you have claimed more than that: the single passes might not occur until a game stop. This is where you get opposition.

Old Japanese rules had and Korean rules had and maybe still have no or no clear passes or single passes. J1989 change this, although the wording is still ambiguous.



They are:
http://home.snafu.de/jasiek/j1989c.html
http://home.snafu.de/jasiek/wagcflaw.html



This is all real-world Japanese rules. (Some badly programmed go server rules, such as KGS-Japanese Rules, differ. Maybe you have been under their false impression when judging on real-world rules.)

(WAGC Rules demand clarification of "in the end of the game" because there is a special procedure for optional but recommended removal such dead stones when the game is about to end. If the players don't remove, then afterwards they may not remove.)

BTW, one thing I'm not sure if even Robert is aware of is that "no territory in seki" (where "no dead stone removal from seki" rule come from) is more than just caprice of Japanese rules.

It's kind of a theoretical necessity for pure territory scoring because of some issues with game end and scoring that could otherwise arise in some shapes. Hybrid scoring (pass stone playout) rules have no such problem and need no seki exception because they are already in area phase by then.

What is "pure territory scoring"?

Not using area phase (pass stone playout).

I am afraid I do not understand. Please explain positively!

Territory scoring that scores final positions directly, based on string L/D and hypothetical play, without relying on pass stone playout (and scoring such later position).

Ok. Now please explain "It's kind of a theoretical necessity for pure territory scoring because of some issues with game end and scoring that could otherwise arise in some shapes."

The problem is with one sided kos but it would be long and OT here. I'll try to post tomorrow.

Note the superko rule doesn't require keeping information of all previous board states, just the ones that follow capture. Hmm, does that mean the Draw if Three Repititions rule in Chess is actually bad game design?

简单就是最好的。如果一定要定复杂的规则，那么奥卡姆剃刀又丢弃到哪里去了呢？
在中国古代棋局中，进入循环状态就判定为和棋。

Simple is best. If complex rules must be set, where is Occam's razor?
In ancient China WeiQi, entering the cycle state is judged as a draw.

_________________
Zhang-hu 章浒
Committed to the restoration Chinese traditional Weiqi
Research on ancient Weiqi rules & Classic (Dunhuang Classic and the Thirteen Chapters Classic)
From Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China