Bumping this important thread, since the first games kick off today. Anyone at WDC?

+1 this post if you wish you were playing Diplomacy in Milan rather than...whatever the fuck you're doing right now.

I know Wizard's attending, our games currently paused to accommodate.

It would be fun to follow this Championship. I think I found the tournament link. Games start today, according to this link::

http://www.signoridelgioco.it/index.php?option=com_seminar&Itemid=53

Is it true that games are only played through 1907?!?
From the site: "All the game will be to 7 years."

If so, it seems it will be a mad rush to sc counts by fall '07. The rules also seem to heavily reward SC count.

If I'm interpreting the rules correctly, I find it odd that the Diplomacy "World Championships" would not have rules that encourage solid long term strategies with the goals of soloing, in the spirit of Winner Take All games.

How does one qualify for these World Championships? My reading of the site is that there were 46 more open spots that anyone could have booked. Is it really a "World Championship" if anyone can enter, or is it just a tournament that titled itself "World Championship"?

WDC is a moving tournament - it's hosted around the world. The hosting location gets to decide the scoring system and the tournament rules. I've never played at a FTF tournament in Europe, but I believe the short games are a standard of play there.

It's a world championship in that it attracts players from all over the world (including the very best players from the FTF hobby, I believe), but it's also Open. Anyone can enter.

Yes, time-limited games are the norm in Europe. I've been out of FTF for a few years, but 1907 is shorter than I've ever seen. Commonly, tournaments are open (there's usually no need not to), but they usually have a final. So the first round is open, second is for qualified players only.

At some point, the European Diplomacy Association had a system in place where national champions could compete, but as far as I know that's now defunct. I know for a fact the NL part is, which I'm trying to kickstart. The reigning NL Champ has held his trophy since 2008 if I'm not mistaken.

Again, for people in the neighborhood of NL, send me a PM if you want to fight him for it! ;-)

@ATC: what are common rules down under?

I'm not really an authority on the history of FTF here, but the games I've been to have been:

* 15 minute turns (sometimes 16 or 17 minute spring turns), with no additional time for adjudication or retreats/adjustments
* Secret draw ballots
* Centre-based draw scoring with WTA in the event of a solo (scoring system varies, but they're all like this in some respect)
* Time draw on the last round of a tournament only (so that flights etc can be caught, and it's usually well into the future)
* Drop dead deadlines - if your orders aren't in the box, you NMR.

That last one is considered pretty flexible for new players.

Games last until they're finished, period? Must be tough to plan multiple rounds.

Well, if y'all followed the twitter account...

"Retweet if you've never been banned from webDip. " ?? ;-D

Especially for Oscar.

It's a gold mine. I save my best material for twitter. Give 2nd a chance to catch up to me here.

It's certainly better than tweeting "Prediction of distal residue participation in enzyme catalysis"...

;-)

First round WDC scores are out:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100736222800449&set=gm.1618654591684368&type=1&theater

@tmow that paper is the height of scientific achievement and a testament to man's boundless curiousity. And I hear the Authors are geniuses.

WDC Scores after Round 2.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155515836725554&set=gm.1618709631678864&type=1&theater

Also, there's an update on the WDC 2016, Chicago. Our own Windy Weasels will be hosting 24-26 June 2016. Save the date. I'm sure they'll update us on more details soon.

So... I'm actually reading Valis's paper right now because it's relevant to my work.

Hahaha, that is awesome. I clicked on it, but then I realised it wasn't relevant to any aspect of my life.

For those people wondering who's who on the WDC list, this article is a very funny and readable primer on many of the North American names.

http://grantland.com/features/diplomacy-the-board-game-of-the-alpha-nerds/

Scores of round 3:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155518174975554&set=gm.1618888934994267&type=1&theater

>>Also, there's an update on the WDC 2016, Chicago. Our own Windy Weasels will be hosting 24-26 June 2016. <<

Whoa. That's Windy CITY Weasels, not Windy Weasels. We'd have a tough time drawing a crowd with a name like that.

Unlike our European brethren, we'll be running proper American-style games with no set ending (except for the final round, which out of necessity -- people have to go home eventually -- will end at some point during a two-hour call period Sunday afternoon).

Also, I'm looking forward to a bar game this Tuesday with ssorenn and MKECharlie!

Jim

Round four is out! Top table is known.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155519187035554&set=gm.1618961528320341&type=1&theater

Top table includes the defending champ, Thomas Haver, and the only three-time champ, Cyrille Sevin, plus some other heavyweights. Should be a good one.

Jim , think that's Wednesday the 6th

Whoops. You're right.

Looks like Toby Harris is the new champion. He's finished second several times in the past, I believe, and has been after the crown for more than 20 years. Defending champ Haver finished second on the top board with eight centers to Toby's 10.