Interview with Adam Silverman: So you want to run a tournament?

We catch up with Adam Silverman and explore what to think about if you're running a tournament for the 1st time or the 21st time. Plus an overview of how the 2025 Asia Pacific Diplomacy Championship went at the Cane Toad Classic.

Intro and Diplomacy chat

• The guys introduce the venue and their drinks (0 mins 15 secs)
• Gavin gives a quick update on how the Cane Toad Classic went and introduce the topic of  what do you're thinking about if you want to host a tournament (4 mins)

Interview with Adam Silverman on how to run a tournament

• They start the interview with Adam, host of World DipCon 2025 and begin discussing how his games have been going so far this year  (5 mins 45 secs)
• Gavin asks Adam about what the difference is like between running a small or regular size tournament - like a standard Whipping tournament - and something as big as World DipCon (8 mins 50 secs)
• Adam discusses the importance of having people helping tournament organisation and what to be mindful of (11 mins 15 secs)
• The key things to aim for in tournament attendence (15 mins 30 secs)
• They discuss space and what to look for in a venue (20 mins 45 secs)
• Gavin and Adam talk about social activities and how to manage and plan for that (25 mins 30 secs)
• They talk about covering tournament costs (32 mins 30 secs)
• Adam discusses responsibilities for those assisting him with the tournament (37 mins)
• He shares what he's changed over the years based on player feedback (43 mins 15 secs)
• They discuss the NADF Code of Conduct (46 mins)
• Ken suggests the idea of a tournament finance officer (47 mins 45 secs)
• Gavin asks if Adam's taken anything away from our tournaments he's attended and brought to his own (50 mins 40 secs)
• The interview starts wrapping up before Ken and Gavin give their thoughts on key takeaways for them (52 mins)

Cane Toad Classic wrap up: how to improve a tournament

• Gavin and Ken discuss player feedback from the tournament to help with future Cane Toads, plus the guys' own learnings (1 hr 0 mins 15 secs)
• Gavin starts sharing his ideas for next year's Cane Toad Classic, including the prospect of it moving to the Gold Coast in 2026  (1 hr 9 mins 30 secs)
• The guys get another round of drinks - and we get an update on how their next drinks taste as a Diplomacy mid-game before discussing further options to consider for next year and a possible future year venue (1 hr 12 mins 30 secs)

Diplomacy chat

• Gavin has played for the first time in 5 years a virtual game using Backstabbr and Discord in a round of Snake Pit (1 hr 30 mins 30 secs)
• He discusses how it all went and what his experience was like - Gavin played as Austria and developed a great AIR with Sigurd (Italy) and Rob Hillier (Russia). You can view the game on Backstabbr, including an Austrian army in Liverpool (1 hr 33 mins)
• Ken mentions the latest DBN Deadline news discussing a new AI Diplomacy model, and we give a big thanks to DBN for covering in Gameday Live the Cane Toad Classic (1 hr 41 mins 30 secs)
• They talk about upcoming Australian tournaments before wrapping up the show (1 hr 46 mins 15 secs)

Venue: Lang's Lounge, Brisbane

Drinks for the interview:

Gavin: Sally IPA by Your Mates Brewery, Queensland and a cheap and cheerful red

Ken: Stone & Wood Hazey IPA, New South Wales followed by a Sally IPA

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Thanks as always to Dr Dan aka "The General" for his rockin' intro tune.