12th Friedrich World Championship, 2017

The Final



A: The players take their seats


Christian Blattner, with 45.2 points highest ranked player of the qualification round, chooses to be Maria Theresa.

Anton Telle (qualifying with 45.0 points) opts for the hot chair of Friedrich.

Andreas Buschhaus takes the Tsarina's role, followed by Mark Luta as Mme. Pompadour.

And then the game starts, with Guy Atkinson and Jose Bonilla Rau as spectators.
B: How the game played out
written by Anton "Friedrich" Telle

I started the game with my main force in Silesia. Austria, however, decided quite early to invade Saxony first. By some tricky moves of Friedrich, Winterfeldt and Seydlitz, I was able to impede early attacks of Browne and Charles of Lorraine. (My generals were threatening with cross-sector counterattacks.) That way I succeed in transfereing Schwerin from Silesia to Saxony. Unfortunately, I am pretty low on diamonds and have to give up the area around Dresden after some battles. Austria conquers Radeberg.

Since I am loaded with clubs, Russia has a hard time in conquering anything in the Kammin area. Only Küstrin falls. Similarly, Heinrich stops the Swedes, before he marches off to Magdeburg (where he is desperately needed). The Imperial army is no threat at this moment (Winterfeldt engages it in clubs). But later Lacy will come supporting the Empire.

Hanover slows down the French advance. I am happy that Diepholz is not attacked. But in the South, after some skirmishes Cumberland is eliminated in Western Saxony.

With Lacy supporting the Empire, Christian decides to go for an Imperial victory. I am swarming my Prussians to delay the moves of the Austrians. I also hope to get a chance to attack the sole Hildi. I believe that the Austrians are clearly superior in diamonds (however, as it will turn out later, I am wrong; Austria was lacking a good diamonds hand as well). Christian attacks Keith in Silesia several times with troops inferiority. By repeatedly taking cheap retreats, I trade space and only a few objectives for precious diamonds, shifting the diamonds balance in my favour.

Turn 6 ends with the fate card India. Good news! Austria is now reduced to 4 TCs per turn.

The situation in Saxony becomes more and more complicate. It takes a lot of attention, brain and time. There also some minor fights in hearts against the Austrians. At some point, Christian retreats one of my generals in such a way, that his supply train is eliminated in Southern Saxony. Due to his mistake, the Austrians have to withdraw to the East-of-Dresden area. Since I now expect the final showdown in Silesia to happen, I am sending a back-up general to Keith.

In the meantime Russia kept on attacking in clubs. Dohna tries to avoid combat whenever possible. I am still feeling confident with my clubs. East Prussia, however, is finally conquered. The re-entering Lehwaldt takes care of Malchin.

In the West, Ferdinand is attacked near Diepholz by two French generals. After drawing some French hearts, he is eliminated. Cumberland fights the French at Magdeburg. I am playing all my Hanover hearts and 4 reserves, then Cumberland is sent off-map as well.

Prussian subsidy reductions occur in turn 13 and 16. Furthermore a 5th TC deck is brought into play. It will show disastrous effects! Suddenly (without my knowing) the Russians receives good clubs, so that my Kammin defense is not safe anymore. I, however, have not the slightest clue about that...

After re-establishing supply in Saxony, Christian resumes his plans to lead the Empire to victory. So late in the game!! I am really taken by surprise. Some turns later, the last Imperial objective city is Torgau. At turn 18, I start a desperate attack in diamonds, so that I can protect Torgau not only from hearts, but also from diamonds. I do not believe to win the combat, but I do win! But will I be able to hold that position? I am pretty sure that the combined Austrian-Imperial attacks will drive my Prussians away in turn 19 the latest. I am absolutely sure that the Empire will win this game.

At the same moment, my defense in Kammin broke down. In turn 17, I played all my clubs, and so Dohna moves to Rummelsburg (spades, at the sector border). From there he protects Colberg and Neu-Stettin. A clever move I thought, but it was a mistake! Dohna should have stayed in clubs; with my reserves I would have been able to take retreat after retreat. Andreas makes best use out of my mistake by blocking all paths back to clubs. (I can explain my mistake only by: a) I was already on the stop watch so that I did not anticipate Andreas' response. b) I believed my reserves were needed more urgently in Saxony.)

My situtation has turned quite hopeless. I am mentally preparing for defeat.

Both Hanover generals are not on the board. This increases my problems. I decide against recruitment, because the re-entering generals would have had to fight the French immediately, and my Hanover TCs are very few. But, again, this is a mistake. The French make a big attack against the Prussian Magdeburg defenders, but lose the hearts combat quite impressive. Then, turn 18 closes with the drop-out of France! The Imperial Army switches players! Good luck! And desperately needed! Poooh!

Turn 19.

Dohna can be encircled on Rummelsburg, so he moves to Stolpe. I am sending two(?) more Prussians to the Russian objectives, although I am sure that they will come too late. In the most viable position, however, is Friedrich himself. He occupies the city adjacent to Küstrin. In Saxony, I am not feeling confident with my diamonds against Hildi. So, I want a 2nd protection site for Torgau. The only possible city is in hearts, and for it I have to defeat the Austrians by +1. With my first TC, I am offering Christian a fair −1 retreat. He declines. Playing a new hearts, I repeat my −1 offer. Christian declines again. I give up. (The bitter thing of this fight will show up in turn 20, where I will be in urgent need for one more card in hearts!) — The Prussian turn ends with only 1 general protecting Torgau. He is in diamonds, 3 cities distant from Torgau! No retreat option!

Then Russia attacks Dohna in spades. My spades went almost all to recruitments, so Dohna retreats as soon as possible. Russia conquers Neu-Stettin, and it could have conqueres Colberg as well, if Andreas only would have moved through it!

Austria attacks me again in diamonds! I cannot believe it!! Christian is still supporting Mark's Empire!! But, it turns out that Austria has now diamonds at all! The combat results in a tie, and is a pure demonstration of Christian's lack of diamonds. Then it is the anxiously awaited attack of Hildi. Expecting a long and bitter fight, I start with a reserve as a 10. I am positively shocked to find out that the Empire has only one card of diamonds. That's all! I could have won the combat with my 3 small diamonds (with values of 2,2,3). (Again, the bitter thing will show up later: I will badly miss the played reserve card in turn 20!)

Turn 20.

Hastily I am recruting troops for my defenders against Russia. I decide to give Dohna one more troop than Friedrich. (The other way round, I would win the upcoming hearts fight.)

Schwerin sends Hildi off-map by pure troops superiority.

Dohna attacks Fermor in clubs. Andreas opts for a −1 retreat. A clever move, which allows Fermor to both walk over Colberg and encircle Dohna. — Friedrich attacks Apraxin trying to reconquer Küstrin. It is hearts fight; since Apraxin is in Berlinchen, all I need is a +1 combat win, then Küstrin would be mine again. We play hearts after hearts. Finally, with my last low hearts I manage to reach a score of 0. (I was already out of reserves.) And, I cannot believe it! Russia is out of hearts as well! The combat ends in a tie!

Oohhh! Ooooh! I am missing the hearts card which I played against Austria in turn 19! Alternatively, I am missing the reserve which I used against Hildi for no good reason! Alternatively, Friedrich is missing the 1 troop which I gave to Dohna instead to him! If I would have succeeded in reconquering Küstrin, I think this would have been my victory, since the clock of fate would have given Andreas only 2 more turns. And for such a speedy reconquest, the Russians are not positioned; and I had some more Prussian defenders nearby.

Now, it is Russia's turn: Fermor and Saltikow encircle Dohna. With 22 points of spades against my 13 points of clubs, Dohna is wiped out. Colberg is conquered. Russia wins! And Andreas Buschhaus becomes the 2017 Friedrich World Champion!


C: Pictures


Early in the game. You can see the Prussian 3-generals stack in Saxony.

Situation in Saxony is becoming complicate.

Christian thinking about his options in Saxony.

The big diamonds battle in Saxony: Christian is looking for the best TC to play.

Now Anton plays a TC!

The battle is over. Prussia has won by inches!

Christian moving his pieces.

Moves which Anton does not seem to like.

Alex Calderon watching carefully.

A saying amuses all.

Turn 19. Russia attacks Dohna and succeeds to conquer Neu-Stettin.

Andreas Buschhaus is flipping his question mark at Neu-Stettin.

Turn 20: The Prussian desperate hearts attack, trying to reconquer Küstrin. Prussia is exactly 1 point short!

Turn 20: Russia wipes out Dohna with 22 points of spades.
(To the bottom right you can see leftover Prussia's hand cards.)

Andreas Buschhaus is
Friedrich World Champion 2017!