Online Diplomacy, Picking Up Where Fantasy Football Left Off

If the record of human history needs more evidence to
point to my fondness for and participation in nerdy activities,
add Online Diplomacy to the leger. Diplomacy is a stellar
game. In a nutshell, imagine Risk without the dice, where
all conquest and conquering is predicated on convincing
other players to support the moves of your units on the board. It
requires participants to be skilled in strategy as well as
rhetoric and, well, acting. One cannot compete in a game
of diplomacy without lying, conniving, making the sale,
playing personalities off each other, etc., And its no holds
barred. The rules of the game allow--and even encourage,
somewhat-- espionage. Its high drama, and a lot of fun.
One of my fondest diplomacy memories is watching my buddy
Josh get so worked up over my older brother crossing him, that
Josh sent older brother to the floor with a classic Ben Wallace
to Ron Artest type body-shove. Now, this type of behavior isn't
to be condoned.. just shows how involved people can become
with the game.

In the long lost golden years of the 90s, I'd play Diplomacy
with my older brother and his close-knit posse of six or seven
guys over some cheap greasy pizza and a lakesworth of Mountain
Dew. I don't know where those years went, but they're gone.
Now, we're spread all over the eastern US, and forced to play
the game online. Which is still generally a good time.
Unfortunately, in the inaugural game, I'm getting totally schooled.
The Czar of Russia, played in this scenario by one Mr. Bill Korner
(who, to my credit, does hold a law degree from Harvard...
sharp guy) crossed me in the first year of action in such a way
that one of my units was completely destroyed. This has never
happened to me in a Diplomacy game. And the fallout is such that
I think Austria/Hungary and mother Russia are going to make
quick work of me, the Turks, and that will be that. Oh well.
After drafting Jamal Lewis and Michael Clayton and failing to
move my army in Bulgaria into Greece in the fall of 1901 I'm just
riding a cold streak in the world of make-believe glory that has been
unforgiving and punishing. I should really get out today and play
some Ultimate Frisbee. Good to get some fresh air.

At any rate, if you're interested in peeking in on the game, I've
setup a website tracking the action. The url is:

http://ohgreeks.tripod.com