Date: 1959
Publisher: Originally self-published; picked up by Games Research in 1961
Designer: Allan Calhammer
Why It's Significant (in 25 words or less): No other negotiation game is more cutthroat or more intense than Diplomacy.
More About Diplomacy: Played on a map of Europe circa 1900, Diplomacy may be the ultimate negotiation board game. The goal is to take over a set number of European countries, but there are no dice to determine the outcome of battles. It's done by mixing clever military tactics with superb negotiation -- and, usually, more than a little backstabbing.
A game of Diplomacy can take more than eight hours, but there's nothing quite like the feeling of convincing an opponent to help you secure your own victory.
