I've been playing here a few months now and can report having a largely positive gaming experience. As some of you may know from an article I've written for this site, I've been playing for almost thirty years. Well I'm definitely not the best Diplomacy player in the world, I'm at least proud of the fact that I've learned a lot in my brief time here.

One thing puzzles me about opening press here. To understand, you need some kind of insight into the (rather mediocre) face-to-face Diplomacy games that I was weaned on as a lad. I would often approach the players of neighboring countries, floating wild theories about long-term development strategies, most of which would hinge on immediate and violent attacks against our neighbors. Of course, I would want them to make an immediate and binding commitment to this plan.
Usually they were hesitant to do so, especially the older players. Their response to me was typically "Gee, that's a neat idea kid, but why don't we all make our opening moves and strategize then? I'd like to work with you, but actions speak a lot louder than words."
Years later I bumped into some of the strategy articles written by the recognized Diplomacy champions, and most of them confirmed this strategy: stay neutral as long as possible.
It comes to my surprise that, despite the fact that there is almost certainly a higher level of play here than that I was exposed to as a youngster, most players will make agreements about the destruction of one neighbor and lay general plans for the destruction of another neighbor even in Fall 1901!!
Obviously, I'm in no position to criticize this style of play. If anything, I usually go along with it as I don't want to send my (frequently hot-blooded) neighbors the impression that I don't support their Napoleonic ambitions, but rather I question why so many bright people are adverse to playing the field? Why is early commitment that important? I personally feel that most deals will have to be renegotiated anyway after one gets a sense of which way the momentum is likely to go.

Thoughts? Opinions?