Any thoughts on opening and closing old fashioned way? like removing a pin halfway trough and then drive it back? - I admit I have not used 10speed yet. but for 8speed and single speed old fashion driving the pin (any pin) back, works just fine.
Most definitely don't try on a 10s chain.
the difference is that the pins on your chain are flush to the rivet so there's no safety margin if the plates spread. To compensate, ends of the pins are peened into a small countersink in the plate forming a rivet head (the same way bridges are riveted together). When you press the pin through you shear off the head, so when you push it back you have no defense against plate spread which will lead to chain breakage.
Will it always break, probably not, but it's likely enough that you won't like the odds, especially if you tend to shift aggressively while under load.