There are tons of articles out there on Diplomacy strategy. Try:
http://www.diplomacy-archive.com/resources/strategy.htm and
http://www.diplom.org/~diparch/god.htm to get you started.

I've found that learning by doing is the best way to get good at this game. For now just play it safe, ally with a power you see fitting and see how he plays. You should avoid stabbing unless you belive it can win the game for you. It depends a little on what power you play as but try to keep communication going with everyone.

If you want to learn about the tactical part I reccomend you check out http://www.diplom.org/~diparch/home.htm
It got pretty much everything you need to know.

I looked at your 3 games and, if I may say so, you seem to have a problem with fleets. In each game you let an opposing fleet into your waters unchallenged. You had Italy and England and built armies instead of fleets. You had no challengers to your homeland as Italy, so an army really wasn't needed. And building a second army in England instead of a third fleet is unusual, to say the least. I think that many newer players get the moves and all that, but fleets are unique and very powerful and need to be utilized to win. Just my 2 cents.

A crash course in reading diplomacy-archive.com can kick start, but nothing is a substitute for experience.

Talk loads.
Think about what you would do if you were the other player, looking at the game from another's perspective is vital if you want to work with them or if you want to thwart them.
Look over the School of War games, thinking about each position in turn:
Game 6 thread can be found on forum page 464
5 on page 409 (End of Game Statements page 410)
1-4 are in the same thread on page 350. 4 EoG p332

jimgov is right about fleets being exceedingly powerful, particularly as England or Italy.

I found a good way to brush up by looking through finished games, since that's where you're trying to get

I know that going through orders is probably the best way to go over a game, but if you just flip through the maps, from start to finish, you will learn a lot. Who teamed up. What were they after? How did player X lose. It is really fascinating watching a game from start to finish when you already know the winner. Shows you all that went into the win.

Also, if everyone is out to get you, you're going to be crushed no matter what moves you make. If I were an experienced player, I would be thrilled to be able to work with a new player who would take my advice. Let yourself be a sidekick for a game, ask questions, and learn. You probably won't win, but you will be almost sure to survive with more units than you started with.

Playing FTF, I always tried to take the new player and do just that. I showed him what I was doing and why. Sometimes, he would even stab me during his first game, which meant that I taught him well. But it made it easier for the newbie to learn the game while playing.

You have been playing 5 minute live games. Try playing some longer phase games, 1, 1 /12 days or 2 day phases. This will give you more time to think about your moves, which iwill help you to gain a deeper understanding of the game. Then when you come back to the speed games you will have better intuitive sense of what is going on.

I just finished a game after reading a couple of those articles. It wasn't too bad. Thanks!

I would play 1-day phases, but I'm a bit impatient...

Well, as Italy, you didn't do too bad. And surviving after having Aus, France, and Tur in your homeland is commendable. I see that you started two games as Italy and started out with your fleet moving to Tyr. Give Ion a shot. It keeps your fleet in a much better position.

"Also, if everyone is out to get you, you're going to be crushed no matter what moves you make. If I were an experienced player, I would be thrilled to be able to work with a new player who would take my advice. Let yourself be a sidekick for a game, ask questions, and learn. You probably won't win, but you will be almost sure to survive with more units than you started with."

Definitely don't do that! Sure you'll do well if you can get a mentor to help explain the game to you, but don't pick someone in your game - you can guarantee any advice you get comes with ulterior motives!

What? A Diplomacy player with ulterior motives? Has this ever really happened?

'I see that you started two games as Italy and started out with your fleet moving to Tyr. Give Ion a shot. It keeps your fleet in a much better position.'

Hmm... I can see why now.

Maybe some comments on the games, discussion ground for the more vary to chime in maybe, too:

Live Game-74: tough first moves, I wouldn't like those either, the mistake was imo to not build a fleet in Brest. The biggest mistake was to go into CD when you could have negotiate with Germany to turn against England and had a fighting chance. (Going into CD! Bad! BAD!)

THE CRIMES OF AZAZEL: You committed yourself against France, not too bad. But you need Austria to keep your back clean. But hell broke lose between you, rendering the both of you in a losing situation. You put up a good fight there, with all nations taking a stab at you eventually.

GunboatLive: Generally, you need fleets as Italy, not armies. Attacking both Austria and France, even in gunboat, puts you at high risks, especially with one fleet. And then you moved on Germany. Even in gunboat, you need allies. And what happened again? Italy adn Austria fighting made Turkey a winner.

Live Game-72: The first move is nothing to sneaze at. But not taking anything from Sca seems stupid, also the best would have been to convoy an army to Bel with Germany's help (he let you into Bel after all). Second army is really bad again. But the worst happened - France attacks you (of course), Germany is not on your side (bad negotiations?), and not going to Sca mad Russia build a northern fleet. You are in serious trouble by then. You failed to enter convoys in a sensible manner throughout that game, practice that.

HTH a bit.

"Definitely don't do that! Sure you'll do well if you can get a mentor to help explain the game to you, but don't pick someone in your game - you can guarantee any advice you get comes with ulterior motives!

I'm going to defend my original point. The "ulterior motive" for the experienced player is having a sidekick--someone who will let them win if they get second place. Unless the game is winner-take-all, it works for both players.

it happens to everyone, especially if you had a sitter and forgot to change the password :) hasn't happened to me but i've heard of it happening.

just keep playing and you'll get the hang of how to confuse people

How are you getting on now? Is it coming with experience or are you still a bit lost?