Face to face is probably the nicest way to play Diplomacy and also the way it was originally meant to be played. All seven players (maybe more or less in Diplomacy variants) sit around a table and negotiate with each other face to face.

There is not much more satisfying than looking your opponent or ally deep into the eyes to find out wether he is telling you the truth or if there is a drop of sweat or insecurity that points to an upcoming stab. It does not matter how much you lie or betray someone, though, at the end of the day you still meet him at the bar to have a beer and a chat about the game, life, the universe and everything.

As it is not always easy to find seven players for a game, the German Diplomacy Association, amongst others, organizes conventions and tournaments everyone is welcome to join. Some players already know each other from play by e-mail games but here they have the opportunity to look their favorite opponent right in the eyes.

These conventions ususally take place on a weekend so that there is plenty of time to also play other boardgames besides Diplomacy and to get to know each other. The players on the conventions are a colorful lot with careers ranging from forex traders to students. There is one thing everyone has in common, though: It is interesting and a pleasure to meet them.

We suggest you simply join us in one of the upcoming conventions to experience the fun yourself. The German Diplomacy Association is mostly active in Germany so that is where the conventions are held. There are a lot of international opportunities, though, just check with your local Diplomacy organization or ask around in forums and websites around the internet. As for Germany, these are the upcoming conventions:

• berlicon 2014