CHICAGO -- Allan Calhamer , whose 1950s board game Diplomacy garnered a loyal following over the years that reportedly included President John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger and Walter Cronkite, has died.
He was 81.Mr. Calhamer invented Diplomacy while studying at Harvard University in the early 1950s.Players represent seven European powers at the beginning of the 20th century and vie for dominance by strategically forging and breaking alliances.Unlike Risk, there are no dice, and a player's success is largely based on his or her abilities to negotiate.Despite its popularity, Mr. Calhamer didn't get rich off the game and eventually returned to La Grange Park to work as a postman.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
