Moments from DipCon

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Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

I'll let someone more knowledgeable report on the outcome of DipCon
(in Portland, courtesy of Piggyback, and a great tournament). But I have
a couple of small stories for those who didn't get to attend:

--people running up and down the tournament hall with the record sheet
showing Andy Bartelone's Russia in (if I recall correctly) round 3:

1901 1902
Russia 3 0

(He was awarded the SplatPig for this result.)

--Nathan Barnes and Tom trying to argue me into stabbing Andy Bartelone
(sense a pattern here?) and Rick Desper suddenly chiming in with a rousing
chorus of "All we are saying is, Give War a Chance!"

--Rick Desper and Laurel Eddy using Gollum and Smeagol to debate the
merits of being a toady versus seizing power for oneself. "But if we
had the dotsss, we would be the Master!"

--the cognitive whiplash of listening to Chris Martin being polite
and helpful to me, and without missing a beat incredibly offensive to
everyone around me. With no profanity or raised voices, yet. It was
masterful.

--the look on Ken LeMere's face when he realized his two carefully chosen
lifelong allies were fighting each other. Oh, no!

--and the discovery, several rounds running, that just because we're chicks
doesn't mean we can get along. Three of the five women players ended up on
the same board in round 1, and the long knives came out promptly. I was
paired with Laurel Eddy in round 4 and, well, nothing had changed.

I had a great time, though my results were, well, let's say that if I had
known they were going to give a prize for last place, I could easily have
been in the running. Three eliminations and a four-way. It was indeed a
deep pool of sharks.

Mary Kuhner mkkuhner@eskimo.com

 

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DipCon was awesome, those Piggies know how to run a great tournament and
show the players a good time. An extremely competitive tournament with lots
of great play and the most confusing scoring system known to man. No solos
in 20something boards though.

The top board was:

Austria: Edi Birsan
England: Doug Moore
France: Chris Martin
Germany: JT Fest
Italy: Adam Silverman
Russia: Nick Benedict
Turkey: Ken Lemere

It ended in a 9-9-9-7 four-way with EGIT (E with 7). Ken LeMere won the
tie-breaker for the top spot, so the top seven in the tourny were:

1st - Ken LeMere - Seattle
2nd - JT Fest - Piggy (most points, but winner was top scorer on
top board)
3rd - Doug Moore - PT&KS
4th - Andrew Neuman - Denver
5 - Adam Silverman - BADAss
6 - Andy Marshall - PT&KS
7 - Tom Kobrin - North Carolina

-Adam

 

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In article <c6jmup$n80$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>,
mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) writes:
>
> I had a great time, though my results were, well, let's say that if I had
> known they were going to give a prize for last place, I could easily have
> been in the running. Three eliminations and a four-way. It was indeed a
> deep pool of sharks.

It's great to be able to put faces with names!

I played one game with Mary and I think we both took a dirt-nap in
that one. I couldn't tell you which power we played or any details,
though -- my memory about individual games fades fast!

So quick, before I forget:

Loss, 4th place in a 4-way, 4th place in a 6-way, loss (*).

(*) I got hammered, but then helped another player stab and grow and
had a great time from the grave.

The main thing I noticed about DipCon was "It was good to be associated
with Doug, but not good to actually be Doug."

There were seven top powers, and I was associated with all seven, I think:

Austria: Nick Benedict, my roommate.
England: Adam Silverman, my roommate.
France: John Saul, in one of my games.
Germany: errgh, I can't remember this one. Probably in one of my games.
Italy: Don Williams, in one of my games.
Russia: Doug Moore, in one of my games.
Turkey: Missy Bird, in one of my games.

My happiest moment of the tournament was not my own. As France in the
fourth round, I was *routed* by the strongest Southern Alliance (AIT)
I've ever seen. The Balkans were vacated by 1903. Austria and Turkey
never built fleets, and the Austrian fleet walked from Greece to Ionian
to Tyrrenian Sea -- right past wide open Italian home centers, mind you! --
to Gulf of Lyon, whereupon he convoyed an Italian army from Tuscany to
Marseilles. I felt more helpless in that game than any I can remember.

As soon as I was eliminated, though, I started to talk to Missy Bird
(Turkey) about stabbing Austria. She was at 6, he (Clint Hall) was at
9 and Italy (Don Williams) was at 7. She wanted to do it, but was
trembling at the thought (this was only her fourth or fifth game, I think).

They grew for one more year, taking A-I-T to 10-8-7, I think (England
was the big-power-that-never-did-a-damn-to-help-France-including-allowing-
multiple-Italian-fleets-into-the-Atlantic, while Germany and Russia
fought each other and were crushed as a result). Then Missy (with
gleeful assistance from yours truly) walked into three centers, then
took another, then took three more. England grabbed a couple from
Austria as well, but had Italian fleets in the North Sea by then.
A-I-T ended the game at 1-14-14 and accepted an IT draw. I wouldn't
have recommended accepting the draw -- I think both players had a
decent solo opportunity, especially Missy -- but I don't blame them
for taking the result. She was asking Laurel Eddy to make a run to the
pharmacy for Pepto by the end . . . 🙂

(Missy won best stab for that, too -- she did a fantastic job in that game!)

The best non-Diplomacy thing about the tournament was catching up
with 15 or so friends I'd met before and making about 50 more. Matt,
Kevin, Nathan, JT, and Mike Hall ran a great event -- as I told one of
them, when the worst thing you can say about the tournament is "I had
to put on a sweater", you know it was a great time! 🙂

Now, everyone ask Rick Desper how much three centers -- total -- in four
games is worth. ;-)

Doug
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
___, Doug Massey, ASIC Digital Logic Designer
\o IBM Microelectronics Division, Burlington, Vermont |>
| Phone: (802)769-7095 t/l: 446-7095 fax: x6752 |
/ \ |
. My homepage: http://doug.obscurestuff.com (|)

 

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mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) wrote in message news:<c6jmup$n80$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>...
>
> --Nathan Barnes and Tom trying to argue me into stabbing Andy Bartelone
> (sense a pattern here?) and Rick Desper suddenly chiming in with a rousing
> chorus of "All we are saying is, Give War a Chance!"
>
> --Rick Desper and Laurel Eddy using Gollum and Smeagol to debate the
> merits of being a toady versus seizing power for oneself. "But if we
> had the dotsss, we would be the Master!"

That was probably the funniest game I have ever played (granted, my
experience is limited, but still...). The Gollum and Smeagol routine
may well have been the funniest, but there were easily half a dozen
moments when the whole board dissolved in laughter. It even became a
potential tactic: at one point I was laughing so hard I couldn't
write my orders, and Laurel and Mary wondered aloud if I was
ticklish...

Oh, and 'disaster in the west'? Don't you really mean 'stunning
success in the west'? ;-)

 

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"Adam P. Silverman" <agman1010@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<c6k672$dl6$1@news.Stanford.EDU>...
> DipCon was awesome, those Piggies know how to run a great tournament and
> show the players a good time. An extremely competitive tournament with lots
> of great play and the most confusing scoring system known to man. No solos
> in 20something boards though.

What Adam said. The tournament organizers did a tremendous
job--everything ran smoothly, and they attracted a great group of
players.

This was my first serious con, and I had a blast. It was a real
pleasure to get to meet and play with some of the best players in the
game. Everyone was very friendly, and a lot of people went out of
their way to make this newbie feel welcome. I'll definitely try to
make it to more of these.

 

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In article <c6k5r5$g7c$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>,
mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) writes:
> In article <c6k26d$89s$2@news.btv.ibm.com>,
> Douglas T. (Doug) Massey <masseyd@valhalla.no.spam.com> wrote:
>
>>I played one game with Mary and I think we both took a dirt-nap in
>>that one. I couldn't tell you which power we played or any details,
>>though -- my memory about individual games fades fast!
>
> You were Turkey, I was Austria, Adam was Russia. The three of us never
> got along all that well--I was seesawing back and forth between working
> with you and working with Adam, though mostly working with you. When
> the Western powers started to roll, you and I went to Adam and requested--
> demanded, even--that he take point position in turning them back, leaving
> himself wide open to us. After a good deal of grumping, he agreed. Then
> he turned round at a good moment and stabbed the hell out of us. He got
> in the draw. I know I didn't; don't know about you specifically as I left
> before it was over.
>
> Nice stab by Adam. He used his reluctance to lay himself open to stabs
> from us as a cover for his own plans, and he fooled me, at least,
> completely. You were more suspicious, as I recall, but not suspicious
> enough.
>
> Sound familiar now?

Oh, right. Yeah, Adam stabbed, but I survived that one. Finished in
4th with 6 dots, I think (there was a 13-center something in the west,
and R-I-T was 8-7-6 -- I could have dotted Adam to finish at 7-7-7, but
didn't). God, I've already forgotten who Italy was (Dwornicki? Marshall?).
I have zero memory for such things. :-}

Doug
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
___, Doug Massey, ASIC Digital Logic Designer
\o IBM Microelectronics Division, Burlington, Vermont |>
| Phone: (802)769-7095 t/l: 446-7095 fax: x6752 |
/ \ |
. My homepage: http://doug.obscurestuff.com (|)

 

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Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

In article <c6lkvi$dqq$1@news.btv.ibm.com>,
Douglas T. (Doug) Massey <masseyd@valhalla.no.spam.com> wrote:

>Oh, right. Yeah, Adam stabbed, but I survived that one. Finished in
>4th with 6 dots, I think (there was a 13-center something in the west,
>and R-I-T was 8-7-6 -- I could have dotted Adam to finish at 7-7-7, but
>didn't). God, I've already forgotten who Italy was (Dwornicki? Marshall?).
>I have zero memory for such things. :-}

I think Marshall was in France. Next time I have to take notes. I tried to
do a post-tournament writeup on the train going home, but already things
were a bit blurry.

Mary

 

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In article <d1f8d28.0404270912.5b49a4d@posting.google.com>,
Tom Hilton <tehipite@my-deja.com> wrote:

>That was probably the funniest game I have ever played (granted, my
>experience is limited, but still...). The Gollum and Smeagol routine
>may well have been the funniest, but there were easily half a dozen
>moments when the whole board dissolved in laughter. It even became a
>potential tactic: at one point I was laughing so hard I couldn't
>write my orders, and Laurel and Mary wondered aloud if I was
>ticklish...

It was. I'm almost willing to forgive Rick for his opening play
(convoyed the Italian army to Syria and then immediately convoyed
it back!) just because the game was so much fun.

>Oh, and 'disaster in the west'? Don't you really mean 'stunning
>success in the west'? ;-)

I must say, the Western Triple without England is a great opening. More
people should try it. All the advantages of a Triple and no one lurking
in back to stab. (A lot better than my real Triple in round 3.)

It was particularly annoying in that both Italy and I told England
what was going to happen. "I've got it figured," he said, or words to
that effect. But then he just imploded.

Nice play on your part, to work with Nathan all game and not get
stabbed. I think you were wise not to push harder in the North
even though it let Andy and I get delusions of survivorhood.

Mary Kuhner mkkuhner@eskimo.com

 

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mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) wrote in message news:<c6jmup$n80$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>...
> I'll let someone more knowledgeable report on the outcome of DipCon

[snip]

> --Nathan Barnes and Tom trying to argue me into stabbing Andy Bartelone
> (sense a pattern here?) and Rick Desper suddenly chiming in with a rousing
> chorus of "All we are saying is, Give War a Chance!"

If only my Dipping went over as well as my humor...
>
> --Rick Desper and Laurel Eddy using Gollum and Smeagol to debate the
> merits of being a toady versus seizing power for oneself. "But if we
> had the dotsss, we would be the Master!"

Tricksy French hobbits!


> I had a great time, though my results were, well, let's say that if I had
> known they were going to give a prize for last place, I could easily have
> been in the running. Three eliminations and a four-way. It was indeed a
> deep pool of sharks.

That'll teach you to resist the Lepanto opening! If only you'd grown
a tad more slowly, I would have taken those Turkish dots off your
hands and you'd have a free cruise instead of me!

I had two games where I was (Russia/Italy) and Austria walked into
(Venice/Warsaw) which had been left undefended in 1901. This was
accompanied by A/T squishing said (Italy/Russia), and me trying
desperately(TM) to weasel my way into the Turkish dots before the West
resolved itself.

Too late in both cases!

Well, I look forward to seeing many of the same faces next year, as I
chat up Julie at Isaac's bar by the pool, or get into a poker game
with Doc and Gopher.

Rick
>
> Mary Kuhner mkkuhner@eskimo.com

 

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In article <c6m8rs$kpu$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>,
mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) writes:
> In article <c6lkvi$dqq$1@news.btv.ibm.com>,
> Douglas T. (Doug) Massey <masseyd@valhalla.no.spam.com> wrote:
>
>>Oh, right. Yeah, Adam stabbed, but I survived that one. Finished in
>>4th with 6 dots, I think (there was a 13-center something in the west,
>>and R-I-T was 8-7-6 -- I could have dotted Adam to finish at 7-7-7, but
>>didn't). God, I've already forgotten who Italy was (Dwornicki? Marshall?).
>>I have zero memory for such things. :-}
>
> I think Marshall was in France. Next time I have to take notes. I tried to
> do a post-tournament writeup on the train going home, but already things
> were a bit blurry.

Buz Eddy's list shows that round 2, game 5 had this lineup:


A: Nick Benedict and Mary Kuhner
E: Tim Haffey and Eric Ozog
F: Steve Cooley and Andy Marshall
G: Doug Scott and Laurel Eddy
I: Eric Mead and Nathan Barnes
R: Adam Silverman and Steve Weingarten
T: Doug Massey and Mike O'Neill

I think we have a typo!

Okay, my game had Mary, Eric, Andy, Laurel, Eric, Adam, and me.
The other seven names must be another second round game.

That's right, we had two Erics. God, why can't I remember playing
against Eric Mead?!?! Argh!!! Marshall, Eric, and I played another
game together in NYC last month! Stupid brain!

Old Man Doug
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
___, Doug Massey, ASIC Digital Logic Designer
\o IBM Microelectronics Division, Burlington, Vermont |>
| Phone: (802)769-7095 t/l: 446-7095 fax: x6752 |
/ \ |
. My homepage: http://doug.obscurestuff.com (|)

 

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mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) wrote in message news:<c6m98a$ps4$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>...
> In article <d1f8d28.0404270912.5b49a4d@posting.google.com>,
> Tom Hilton <tehipite@my-deja.com> wrote:
>
> >That was probably the funniest game I have ever played (granted, my
> >experience is limited, but still...). The Gollum and Smeagol routine
> >may well have been the funniest, but there were easily half a dozen
> >moments when the whole board dissolved in laughter. It even became a
> >potential tactic: at one point I was laughing so hard I couldn't
> >write my orders, and Laurel and Mary wondered aloud if I was
> >ticklish...
>
> It was. I'm almost willing to forgive Rick for his opening play
> (convoyed the Italian army to Syria and then immediately convoyed
> it back!) just because the game was so much fun.

If I recall correctly, Rick's convoy from Syr to Apu was itself a
moment of hilarity. ;-)

>
> >Oh, and 'disaster in the west'? Don't you really mean 'stunning
> >success in the west'? ;-)
>
> I must say, the Western Triple without England is a great opening. More
> people should try it. All the advantages of a Triple and no one lurking
> in back to stab. (A lot better than my real Triple in round 3.)

Seems like a lot of people were trying to take down England early in
this tournament...I speak as a victim of it myself (Round 3, the game
in which Jon Saul earned Best France).

>
> It was particularly annoying in that both Italy and I told England
> what was going to happen. "I've got it figured," he said, or words to
> that effect. But then he just imploded.
>
> Nice play on your part, to work with Nathan all game and not get
> stabbed. I think you were wise not to push harder in the North
> even though it let Andy and I get delusions of survivorhood.

Thanks. You and Andy did an excellent job fighting us off.

In the end, I just didn't trust Nathan enough to push for the
2-way--especially when he was starting out with a 3-dot advantage over
me, and probably had easier going in the south than I had in the
north. But it would have been an interesting game.

 

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tehipite@my-deja.com (Tom Hilton) wrote in message news:<d1f8d28.0404281600.694cc4fb@posting.google.com>...
> mkkuhner@kingman.gs.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) wrote in message news:<c6m98a$ps4$1@nntp3.u.washington.edu>...
> > In article <d1f8d28.0404270912.5b49a4d@posting.google.com>,
> > Tom Hilton <tehipite@my-deja.com> wrote:
> >
> > >That was probably the funniest game I have ever played (granted, my
> > >experience is limited, but still...). The Gollum and Smeagol routine
> > >may well have been the funniest, but there were easily half a dozen
> > >moments when the whole board dissolved in laughter. It even became a
> > >potential tactic: at one point I was laughing so hard I couldn't
> > >write my orders, and Laurel and Mary wondered aloud if I was
> > >ticklish...
> >
> > It was. I'm almost willing to forgive Rick for his opening play
> > (convoyed the Italian army to Syria and then immediately convoyed
> > it back!) just because the game was so much fun.
>
> If I recall correctly, Rick's convoy from Syr to Apu was itself a
> moment of hilarity. ;-)

The deal with Andy was that he was going to help me fight Turkey after
Russia was gone. I removed A Tyr to facilitate that, but when I saw
he'd built A Vie instead of A Bud, I knew he was going to try to take
Ven instead of working with me. So I figured it would be best to try
to get the army back to Apulia and
mend fences with Mary.

The strategy worked to the extent that Andy never took any of my dots.

Rick