# Setting Out!

Thank you for taking the Diplomacy Openings Course!

My name is Erik and I will be your course instructor, guiding you on your path to becoming a Dangerous Diplomat!

While it may be true that playing the game is the best way to learn, to my way of thinking a little preparation and practice don't hurt either!

## About this Course

I've played Diplomacy since I was 15. Played in history class, started a club (which took over our school), and helped build the Minnesota Diplomacy Club which plans to host the 2028 Word Diplomacy Championships.

This course is about Openings.

## Who is this book for

To say I love Diplomacy is an understatement.

As Diplomacy requires 7 players, however, I should like to continue spreading the basics of the game so as I will forevermore have people with whom to play!

This book is for new players.

Accompanying new players are the tendencies to blunder and ruin a game almost before it begins. Naivete can be forgiven, but I'd like to do one better: Provide a warmup course for new players to get up to speed on the strategic nuances of the opening, such that the more exciting mid-game can be reached by 7 competent and perhaps even Dangerous Diplomats.

You might contend that providing this opening theory takes away the fun, steals the destiny from, or otherwise hinders the development of new players. Some or all of this may be true in some cases, but considering how difficult it can be to get a new player into a face-to-face game, I accept the tradeoffs.

To repeat: This course is about Openings and Opening Theory.

We will learn how to think about the first few moves of the game, in particular Spring 1901, Fall 1901, and Winter 1901 (when you decide your first builds). A discussion of 1902 will also help us. Working backwards from outcomes we would like to have in 1902 helps us decide how to proceed in 1901.

If you are already an expert in opening theory, strategy, and tactics, I recommend heading straight into [my full-length Diplomacy book](https://leanpub.com/diplomacy), or checking out [my Diplomacy video library](https://diplostrategy.com/videos) for intermediate level writing and commentary.