Here is my retrospective on last year's road to the ODC finals. (Now that I re-read what I've written, it is actually a retrospective on starting to play on webDip, I fear...)
- Registration for ODC 2019
It was shortly after New Year 2019 when Durga
announced to be running the Online Diplomacy Championship this year. Participants were required to be reliable, have played at least 10 diplomacy games, and a ghostrating was asked when playing for webDip.
*flashback to little more than a month earlier*
Mid November 2018, some real life friends and I planned to play Diplomacy. At the time, I only played FtF with friends and never online. Although we tried, we did not play more than once a year. And when we played, the game would often not last beyond 1907.
In November 2018, and despite my efforts, attempts to play Diplomacy failed again and I was getting a little tired of it. So I looked online whetherand where I could play and, after some 'research', chose to register on webDiplomacy.
I quickly started playing a couple of games (most 1 day/phase), and by the time Durga announced the ODC, I had completed six games at a pace I would never repeat again after that.
*flashback ends*
So when looking at the ODC criteria, I considered myself to check some, but not all boxes. I definitely consider myself 'reliable', both in general and for the game... But I had played 10 games
only if my real life experiences counted as well, and I had no ghostrating yet (it would be published a couple of days later). I wrote to Durga about my background and willingness to participate and I remember her answering (or perhaps I just looked it up and copy pasted it here): "You don't want to rep the f2f community instead?"
And so I was registered not just for my first
online full press Diplomacy tournament ever, but actually for my
first Diplomacy tournament ever... As a FtF player which is even disputable.
Like BrotherBored, I thus entered the tournament with a feeling of uncertainty, a lot of uncertainty in my case.
The first game, I drew France. Given my lack of experience, my goal was to survive and be part of a draw. I didn't even think of soloing at the time. Luckily, I had France, one could say.
As expected, the quality of players was impressive. Particularly 0k0k0 playing as England and Skidmarks (normally on PlayDip under the name of Tarsier) playing as Russia were impressive, in terms of politics, tactics and strategy.
0k0k0 could play only the first R1 game and would try to get through based on that game only. Unfortunatly, he failed, but until today, I am rather certain that he would have if he had been able to play two games.
Skidmarks solod in
his other R1 game as Turkey, and ended 5th after R1. In R2, it appears he accidentally drew
one game, and still ended 10th.
I think they are still of the strongest opponents I have played against.
Russia, England and I found each other rather quickly, and we ended up dealing with all other players on the map and sharing the draw. Although I did not start with any hopes for a solo, it started to grow on me that it could perhaps be possible. But before actually considering specific moves, England had already concluded his analysis, tried the same and came for me before I could come for him. The fact that he could only play one game was relevant in his decision, he told me later.
Eventually we drew as we all felt that two of us fighting would allow the third one to run away with a solo. I was very happy with that result, considering playing against / with thanks to 0k0k0 and Skidmarks.
Given a stable start in the first R1 game, I was a bit more confident already when my second game started, but now I drew Austria. Reset of my goal survive the first two years, and take the game from there.
I quickly had an alliance with Italy and immediately after with Russia as well, allowing the three of us to take Turkey out immediately. In the process of taking Turkey out, I moved against Russia, which started with just a tap actually based on the info I had. That broke up our relationship quickly and got me to continue a strong Italy/Austria alliance.
I moved against Italy later, around the same time when the English-German alliance fell apart in the west. I had one turn where Germany would move away from the stalemate line and told me so, and where I could have secured Mun and next Ber. But with Italy still too much alive still, I would have been unable to hold them and I also hoped Germany would keep his vulnerable position and continue to reatliate against England. So I chose to wait for another turn, but made a mistake doing so.
A draw with 17 Austrian centers was the result. I was very happy although I felt I had passed on the small opportunity of a solo.
- Interim conclusion after Round 1
I ended Round 1 in fourth place, with 122.2 points.
I was very, very happy with that result, which was much more than I had hoped for at the start. But I also felt that players who had been able to solo, and there were quite some in that first round, deserved to be ahead of me. SoS scoring wasn't doing them right was my feeling, and based on some comments I wasn't alone.
The first game of Round 2 was definitely the most hard-fought game of my tournament (thus far). I played England this time and both Germany and France were willing to side with me from the start. But I picked the wrong ally first when I went ahead with Germany, who focused solely on his own growth was my feeling. I quickly noticed my mistake and changed sides to ally with France.
It was only a miracle France never tried to stab me anymore after my early stab, something he could have done until 1908. That happened for three reasons I think. First of all, Johnny Big Horse is definitely one of the most loyal players in the game. Secondly, in an attempt to survive, Turkey, although unsuccessful in his survival, had been successful setting up the eastern RIA block against the western EF block. Thirdly, the two blocks ended up in vicious circle, with unfortunately some arguments spiraling out of control as well.
Overall, I was happy with the result. In terms of general satisfaction, the game ranks rather low among others due to the inability to overcome a five way draw and the discord for which I was partially responsible as well. At the same time, it allowed me to have a decent position after one game to reach the finals. Given that it is still a tournament, I was not unhappy and very grateful to France in any case.
Last but not least, I was dealt Turkey to play my second semi-final game. It was a game with in my opinion several high quality players, diplomat554 playing Austria who finished second in R1, Vom Kriege playing Italy who finished third in R1, Chesney playing Germany who finished only a couple of points shy of the finals and who would have been in the finals had it not been for the solo in this game, and many more even...
It was a game where Austria and I entered into an unusual alliance. Vom Kriege is definitely one of the more pleasant players I have ever had the honor exchanging press with. That press and a strong sense of Wintergreen resulted in our alliance being formed quickly and, after some cautious and defensive positioning at the start by us both, even very succesfully. We grew to be two of the dominant powers on the map after a couple of years already.
In the meantime, I knew that if I ever wanted to solo in ODC, now was the time. I intended to be on the lookout for a stab of Austria for the solo only in the final line. But a combination of factors incentivized me to make a move more quickly : the west in tatters trying to stop France from growing too powerful, Italy spiteful in respect of Austria, and Austria asking at that point in time for a defensively more secure set-up.
I stabbed rather successfully and played very carefully and slowly from there. Eventually I was able to walk away with a solo after France and Germany alternately not sufficiently trusting one another.
- Conclusions after the Semi-Finals
1. It is said that luck plays no part, and I largely agree. I do consider nonetheless I had my fair share of luck leading me to the finals already. You need to come accross the right allies to execute a certain plan with, and I have certainly have been in positions where things could have turned out differently and for worse but for the allies I was able to rely on.
2. I am very grateful to have met and played with all of my opponents, perhaps with a specific mentioning of five players: 0k0k0, skidmarks, Johnny Big Horse, Vom Kriege and Chesney. Thank you to all.
3. When one looks at the GhostRatings, it is remarkable what impact the Tournament has had on most players and definitely the ones reaching the finals:
- Prior to ODC 2019, the
January 2019 full press GhostRating only had Napoleon of Oz at #29, Swordsman at #89, and me for my first entry at #133. Your Humble Narrator appeared #344 in April 2019, and teccles and Brumark entered the list at #434 and #692 as new entries in June 2019. Only VillageIdiot was ranked top tier, although hidden, and re-appeared in June 2019 as #1 after his solo in R1.
- At the start of the Finals, the amazing result is that, in the
January 2020 full press GhostRating the players are ranked Nos 2, 3, 13, 18, 51, 57 and 60.
This to me shows the importance of participating in tournaments, which are the best way to allow you to be lined up against other top rated players, while a TD does the work in arranging and reshuffling all players and games for you.
So perhaps also a last word of sincere gratitute to the TDs: Durga for starting and running this, Dargorygel for supporting, captainmeme for taking over now, and also goldfinger for running the Masters (different forum but still).
And finally of course thanks to all for reading (or scrolling) until the very end !
TBB