13th Friedrich World Championship, 2018
The Qualification Round
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In the qualification round 32 games were played. They can be briefly summarized like this:
Game 1: Thorsten Hennigs Prussian defense is hardened significantly with the first subsidy reduction in turn 6 (Lord Bute). Although his position against Austria and the Empire (Maurice de Wijs) is quite stable, he loses against France (Marcus Straßmann) in turn 10. For Marcus it is his first FWC victory!
Game 2: For Rouven Lotze (Pr), the exit of Sweden in turn 10 seals his defeat. This is due to the fact that the Imperial Army switches players, and so the winner is Bjorn von Knorring. Game 3: This game sees another early Elisabeth dropout, immediately followed by Poems. Christoph Rauh (Pr) is then tricked by Guy Atkinson: 7 turns after the Tsarina's death, Guy manages to win with Sweden. Game 4: After 22 long turns, this is the first Prussian victory of the tournament. Christian Blatter wins w/o having ever received a single reserve card with Prussia. Another special feature of this game was a long lasting series of battles between Cumberland and the French, in which the combattants found themselves finally at Würzburg. Game 5: Jose Bonilla Rau plays on an Imperial win, but after turn 14 the Empire switches to Falk Sandner. (Due to this fact, Jose makes only 5.8 points.) In the same turn, Mark Luta (Pr) runs out of time and is on the stop watch for the rest of the game. Eventually, Alex Schröder wins in turn 16 with Russia. Game 6: Anton Telle (Pr) is put under heavy pressure with Poems showing up in turn 6. But before Prussia collapses, the Tsarina dies (turn 11, Martin Höfer). After 18 turns, Klaus Blum (Austria) and Josef Gundel have to congratulate Anton for the 2nd Prussian victory of the evening. Game 7: This match is pure bloodshed! Imagine: In turn 12, the Empire is the nation with the most TCs on its hand! For a long time it looks like a Prussian win (Arnold de Wijs), but in the end Peter Hannappel succeeds in conquering his last Austrian objective in turn 16. Game 8: The 2017 world champion, Andreas Buschhaus, cannot stop the Empire from winning! It is the 2nd Imperial win of the evening! It is turn 19, when Russia leaves the game and Johannes Strobel takes over the Empire. He finally wins in turn 21, only by inches before Christian Yorck could win with Austria. Johannes was aided significantly by Alex Calderon's French who eliminated the last Prussian defender of Meißen. — A very bitter result for Andreas, since turn 21 would have been the last turn; and so his victory was so close! |
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 Game 5: Jose Bonilla Rau and Falk Sandner.  Game 6: A table with 3 former world champions: Anton Telle, Martin Höfer and (not depicted) Josef Gundel. Klaus Blum is playing Austria.  Game 8: The 2017 world champion Andreas Buschhaus is thinking about his defense in Saxony. |
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 Game 13: Thorsten Hennig moves the Imperial Army, watched by Arnold de Wijs and Mark Luta.  Game 14: Note that there is Hanover general on the board! Andreas Buschhaus and Christoph Rauh seems not to be amused...  Game 16: Johannes Strobel's Prussians are in Poland! A clever move to win time for Saxony. |
Game 9: Vincent Keilig, another FWX newbie, manages to encircle Hildi at Pirna in turn 4. What a luck for him that Karsten Krafts decides not to play a TC – although he is holding a spades 13, spades 12, spades 9 and a reserve card! So, Hildi simply goes off-map. But, since Vincent is playing a too aggressive style, Prussia collapses fast. It is turn 7 when Klaus Blum wins with France.
Game 10: Florian Blum (Pr) thinks the Swedes at Stettin are an easy walk-over, but suddenly his Heinrich and Dohna are confronted with 3 Swedish reserve cards! Although winning this battle, Florian's defense is shattered. The game ends in turn 11 with a double victory of Russa and Austria (Maurice de Wijs, Andreas Zölitz). Game 11: It is turn 2, when Andrew Brown (Pr) attacks the Russians in East Prussian clubs. Marcus has only 4 TCs, and 3 of them are the clubs! It does not take long and the Prussian house in burning in all corners, and there is no lucky stroke of fate coming ... and so it is Marcus winning in turn 11. Game 12: John McCullough (Pr) is under constant pressure from all 3 attacking players (Christian Yorck (Elisabeth), Guy Atkinson (M. Theresia), Martin Höfer (Pompadour)). John has to fight combat after combat, and although the fate is on John's side, he cannot withstand in the end. Guy wins with Austria after 14 turns. Game 13: Alberto Romero (Pr) is heavily punched by the fate! Poems and Lord Bute in turn 6 and 7! It is a good relieve that immediately thereafter it is: America (8), Sweden (10), Elisbeth (12). And so Alberto manages to hold out until turn 19, until Arnold de Wijs pulls off an Austrian victory. Note that one turn later, Prussia would have won. Game 14: Bjorn von Knorring (Pr) manages to eliminate both Austrian supply trains in the same turn, and to retreat Russia by −8. On the other hand, his Hanover generals are off the board for a long time, and this give France (Anton Telle) the opportunity to assault Magdeburg with 15 troops. In turn 13, the Empire switches to Andreas Buschhaus. And finally, Bjorn wins after turn 17. Game 15: This match was an intense fight, where the chess clock time was used up (attackers) or almost used up (Prussia, Hendrik Möschler). It took 14 turns until the first stroke of fate showed up. Eventually, Peter Hannappel wins after 16 turns with France. Game 16: Johannes Strobel (Pr) is low on diamonds and therefore shifts his Silesian defense to Poland, dragging some of Josef Gundel's Austrians with him. By this, Johannes wins precious time for Saxon-diamonds. David Önkür (France) makes a clever switch of 2 generals, thus surprising Johannes. Instead of the expected −1-retreat, Cumberland is wiped off the board with a −7. But still: Johannes wins with Prussia after 22 turns. |
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Game 17: David Önkür plays with Prussia too aggressive. He is using every TC-symbol against almost every attacking nation. And then he is not realizing that the last Russian objective is left unprotected. So it is an easy win for Andrew Brown in turn 9. Game 18: Klaus Blum (Pr) plays his one and only reserve card in turn 11 for a non-priority retreat. One turn later, Felix Schmucker (Pr) attacks Dohna in the Kammin area withg 2 different suits. A +2 is all Felix needs for victory. And now, Klaus throws away the game! Instead of taking the initial −1 and holding out for at least one more turn, he tries to win the first combat (clubs). And then he is unable to achieve a −1. Where is my reserve card?, Klaus whispers. That's ho Felix won in turn 12. (The bitter irony: After this turn, Russia would have dropped out. None of the other attackers was positioned for a fast victory. And one turn later, Prussia would have won due to an exiting France. Klaus would have made 12 points, instead of the 6 he did.) Game 19: It seems that Marcus Straßmann (Pr) cannot stop the Empire (Alex Schröder) from winning in the next turn. But the fate can!! After Swedens exit in turn 11, the Empire switches to Arnold de Wijs. Suddenly on his own, Hildi is unable to take his last objective. And only few turns later Marcus wins (turn 14). This is his 3rd win of the tournament, and so he is in the final almost for sure. Game 20: Alex Calderon (Pr) re-conquers Radeberg and Kamenz, since Anton Telle (Austria) made a mistake. It will cost a lot of time, TCs and energy to take these vital objectives back. Eventually, Anton succeeds in turn 15 and wins. Game 21: Christian Yorck's Prussians are defeated by the Russians (Vincent Keilig) in turn 15 Game 22: It is another turn 15 Prussian defeat (Maurice de Wijs); it is another Austrian win (Martin Höfer). And the Russians (Falk Sandner) were only 1 objective short as well. Game 23: Jose Bonilla Rau suffers an early Lord Bute (turn 6). And Josef Gundel's Swedes and Russians don't leave before turn 11 and 12, repectively. But Thorsten Hennig has a hard time in Silesia, making only little gains. (He finishes the game with 4.2P). And so Jose wins after 22 turns! Game 24: France (Johannes Strobel) leaves the game in turn 10, Russia (Karsten Kraft) follows in turn 15. After this, Prussia cannot be defeated anymore, and finally wins in turn 23. It is Peter Hannappels third victory in the tournament, and so his chances for the final are optimum |
 Game 17: David Önkür with a smile while moving his Prussians. Soon thereafter he will lose the game.  Game 21: Christian Blattner moves his Austrians, watched by all the other players.  Game 23: Josef Gundel protests! Why? Is he shocked by the soon starting battle in the Kammin area? |
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 Game 30: Martin Höfer has lured an Austrian stack of 3 generals into the Senftenberg-trap...  ... and plays now the 16 points of diamonds, needed to wipe out the stack. Johannes Strobel and Arnold de Wijs take the loss with stoic patience.  Game 32: Marcus Straßmann and Christian Blattner chatting. |
Game 25: Karsten Kraft Prussians are hit by the first subsidy reduction in turn 8. And only turn later he is defeated. Winners are Russia (Anton Telle) and Austria (Andrew Brown). Anton has now 3 wins, and will participate in the final.
Game 26: Felix Schmucker underestimates the Swedish eased victory conditions. When Russia drops out in turn 8, Mark Luta is victorious with the light green pieces only 1 turn later. On the other hand, John McCullough makes only 3 points with France and is a hot candidate for the Golden Hildi award. Game 27: In the first 6 turns, Alex Calderon receives 6 cards of hearts for the Imperial Army! Prussia (Josef Gundel) swallows the supply train bait at Walcz. The result is: Russia (Christoph Rauh) encircles Dohne and – poof! – shoots him off the board. Christoph wins in turn 12. Game 28: Alex Schröder uses his strong spades not to the best. But he manages twices to break an encirclement in the Kammin area. An the winner is... Alberto Romero with Austria in turn 17. Game 29: Falk Sandner is on the stop watch already on turn 13! The restricted time limit leads to a fatal mistake in East Prussia: Falk thinks that the last Russian objective is still protected, but it was a distance of 4, not 3!! And so Klaus Blum has an easy and lucky time conquering Rastenburg! Russia wins in turn 13. And Bjorn von Knorring, close to winning with Austria, made "only" 8.75P — and so he misses the final by inches. Game 30: Martin Hofer (Pr) encircles a big Austriasn stack Senftenberg. Not only once, but twice. Both times Johannes loses 24 troops. The first loss is replace immediately with 144 points of TC. Eventually, Martins wins after 19 turns. Johannes makes 9.2P and misses the final by inches as well. Game 31: In Sachsen and at Magdeburg, Guy Atkinson's Prussians are under heavy assault by Austria, the Empire and France (Vincent Keilig, Andreas Buschhaus). Guy is fighting like a wolf. It takes an endless time until France and Russia (Florian Blum) leave the game (turn 21 and 23). With this win, Guy enters the final! Game 32: Andreas Zölitz makes an early mistake with Prussia in turn 2. After that, his defeat is on the horizon all the time. But with good play and tough luck, he denies the attackers easy gains from now on. A long and clever series of clubs battles hinders David Önkür's Russians from winning. Similarly, Marcus Straßman is unable to conquer Lublinitz. Andreas finally wins after 20 turns! |
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Ranking after the qualification round:
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 Game 10: Florian Blum in defensive thoughts.  Game 17: Andrew Brown is lecturing ... about what?
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 Marcus Straßmann and Peter Hannappel, the best two players of the qualification round.
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The four highest ranked players entered the final: Marcus Straßmann, Peter Hannappel, Anton Telle Buschhaus and Guy Atkinson. The final started at 5:30 p.m. Marcus Straßmann as highest ranked player had the first choice of the role. Peter Hannappel had the 2nd choice, and so on. For Marcus Straßmann is was the 1st final, for Anton the 8th, for Peter the th, and for Guy the 2nd. The Fair Ehrensvärd was awarded to Falk Sandner, since he corrected several times a wrong summing-up of TC-values during combat, thus ensuring that combat was executed according to the rules. A ver good "referee-player"! Furthermore, he was a perfect, polite and calm gentleman at the table!
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 John McCullough, the lowest ranked player, receives the Golden Hildi, a special reserve card, worth 1000 points in any suit.
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 Falk Sandner, is awarded the Fair Ehrensvärd.
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