# Diplomacy: SDMB's entry in the WorldMasters 2002 Tourney **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 5, 2002, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323 "2002-11-05T05:12:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/21 "2002-11-06T11:27:15Z")
I vote for giving **Omni** France again, since he’s gotten pretty adept with it. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/22 "2002-11-06T17:30:59Z")
Just finally poking my head in here. I’m pretty busy (although procrastinating a lot today, since my daughter is home sick from school), so I’m going to take a pass on this even as an alternate. But I think it will be fun to give unsolicited advice if you post some links. Would probably be a good idea to drag in **Go Alien** for his advice as well. Sometimes it’s easier to see things when you’re not influenced by the Diplomacy itself. Also **Steve** , who claims the hamsters are too slow and the signup sheet too intimidating to actually register, would probably make a pretty good alternate. He’s an ornery cuss when he wants to be but can also be quite influential. When do you actually commence play and how often are rounds done, etc? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/23 "2002-11-06T19:11:22Z")
I can’t find anywhere on the site where it says when play will commence. Signup closes on November 25, so presumably not until after Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/24 "2002-11-07T03:04:09Z")
Regarding Italy, I think it’s a decent choice to give a newer player, as it’s one of the harder positions to get eliminated from early. It all depends on our team strategy – we could assign it to a veteran player with the idea of getting unexpected points out of a “weak” power and hope a newer player does well with a “strong” power. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/25 "2002-11-09T01:41:55Z")
I **am** the man with the info. I just got this from Rudi, one of the organizers… > [@](#): > > The schedule is that the boards for the first round will be announced around december 2. The first deadline would be about 2 weeks later. Though the schedule is not set in stone, the deadlines won’t move forward. Signup closes at november 25th and the boards have to be assigned after that. Does that help out? ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/26 "2002-11-13T01:58:37Z")
I assume everyone got the WM Tourney email, but I figured I’d paste in in here for a bump, and to assign SD usernames with the names. Just in case anyone is shy, I’ll leave off the proper names here on the SDMB. I’ll assign the usernames that I know. Here’s the email: > [@](#): > > The current details of the team are as follows: > > Fighting Ignorance > > Captain: Weirddave > > Austria: White Lightning > England: RTFirefly > France: Omniscient > Germany: Abe Babe > Italy: Wierddave > Russia: > Turkey: > > If this is incorrect, please visit > [http://www.cat23.com/wm02/editteam.aspx?guid={2f2716ee-5e6b-4a1f-82a9-e69b7d30e373}](http://www.cat23.com/wm02/editteam.aspx?guid=%7B2f2716ee-5e6b-4a1f-82a9-e69b7d30e373%7D) > Or contact the TD by replying to this message. Sorry, Russia and Turkey, I’m not sure what your handles are, so if someone wants to fill that data in, please do. Also, can we change the team name to “The Fighting Ignorants”? That sounds more like a mascot than a slogan, and frankly I just find it entertaining. Not to mention the self-depricating tone could lull our opponents into a sense of false security. Heh heh heh. Can we get a consensus? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/27 "2002-11-13T03:52:29Z")
Russia: **ppg\_shg** Turkey: **Bluesman** I agree with **Omni** about the name. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/28 "2002-11-13T04:13:02Z")
Is everyone happy with those country selections? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/29 "2002-11-13T04:16:49Z")
Oh, and I personally think The Figthing Ignorance is a wonderful double pun and much cleverer than “The Fighting Ignorants”, but I’ll put it to a vote. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/30 "2002-11-13T04:51:16Z")
I want to chime in here with Good Luck wishes to all you fine Dopers who are out to conquer the world. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/31 "2002-11-13T07:15:20Z")
You wanna be an alternate, SP? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/32 "2002-11-13T10:37:47Z")
**Dave** - speaking of alternates, did you get my email that Steve (Russia in 1040) volunteered to be an alternate? I’ll go with the team name either way. And I’m happy with my country assignment. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/33 "2002-11-13T11:28:54Z")
Okay, now we need non-participants to lay odds on the outcomes? Most likely to succeed? Most likely to be dogpiled? Most likely to start out fast and finish slowly? Most likely to screw up orders? Most likely to take a flyer? Most likely to misspell “weird”? Most likely to attack his own teammates? Over/under on survival rates? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/34 "2002-11-13T13:24:54Z")
Again, I’m looking forward to this. With 35+ teams already what are the odds I face one of you across the table in round one? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/35 "2002-11-13T14:08:37Z")
**JC** , I just checked the teams page, and counted 45 teams registered. Since you can’t be in the same game as **Omni** , as you both play France this round, I’d say you’ve currently got a 6/45 chance of being in the same game as one of us. That’s nearly 7-1 odds against. So it _could_ happen, but it’s hardly to be expected. As more teams sign up (deadline’s still nearly 2 weeks away), the odds will tip further against it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/36 "2002-11-13T14:34:37Z")
I was clicking on team names, seeing where people were from, what their nicknames were, and so forth. Some teams have themed nicknames, like The Knights Who Say Ni (one of my favorite team names - surprise!) and Wooley’s Mammoths. 😉 Other favorite team names: Pangalactic Gargleblasters (of course), Death By Convoy, Nurse Jade’s Psychopaths, Premature Attack Elation, Semi-Conscious, The Watergate Seven, and my absolute favorite: Is This the Risk Tournament? The Watergate Seven is a DC-area team. Nate, did you notice they’ve got a player from Purcellville? One of their players is sufficiently Dip-obsessed that his email addy is his country preferences, and another is somewhat confused about the location of Takoma Park. 🙂 I was relieved to see that the team with the funky Japanese name has only one player from Japan, and his first name is Walter. So far, it doesn’t look like language will be a problem, for the most part. There’s a team from Sao Paulo, Brazil, one from Austria, and one from Quebec, but mostly it’s teams whose players are mostly or entirely from the Anglo parts of the world. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/37 "2002-11-13T14:36:48Z")
I wonder if any/all of the Austrian team players want to play Austria? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/38 "2002-11-13T15:31:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTFirefly \* > \*\*I was relieved to see that the team with the funky Japanese name has only one player from Japan, and his first name is Walter. So far, it doesn’t look like language will be a problem, for the most part. There’s a team from Sao Paulo, Brazil, one from Austria, and one from Quebec, but mostly it’s teams whose players are mostly or entirely from the Anglo parts of the world. \*\* I knew you’d do the math, Kim. I just knew it. Boy, I hope that pays off. Also, I think your count is off. I show teams with a French language background, 1 with Portuguese, and a whopping 9 German teams. And, of course, a smattering of other languages. Not that it should be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![ppg\_shg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@ppg\_shg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ppg_shg)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/39 "2002-11-13T16:59:31Z")
Russia? Russia? I specifically said I didn’t want to be Russia. Oh wait a minute, I said no such thing. Fine by me. Turkey here I come. I would appreciate any and all advice, especially the kind that Abe Babe gave me in 1046. Es was wunderbahr! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diplomacy-sdmbs-entry-in-the-worldmasters-2002-tourney/135323/40 "2002-11-13T17:13:49Z")
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