CAFE’23: 2ND ROUND

The players have all turned up punctually on Saturday morning and the second round can start. Guy Atkinson lends a hand on table two.

ROUND 2. SATURDAY MORNING, 10 JUNE

Austria launches her final attack in Silesia and by surrounding Schwerin and Keith, start a hard fight in diamonds.

TABLE 1. This is Carlos’ début as Frederick in a championship. Drawing on experience gained on Friday, he sets up a solid sector defence against his three adversaries. This strategy works against Loughlin, whose Russians are unable to break through despite repeatedly attacking in clubs. Mark’s French are also stopped. An early assault by the entire French army is held off, but only at a high price in cards. Juan Aguado, however, has better luck. Prussia’s hand is not so strong in diamonds and Juan knows how to prepare an attack to his advantage. Carlos maintains a last ditch defence in Saxony and keeps the Austrians out, but again at huge cost, which allows the Imperial Army to take their final objective after victory in a last diamonds battle.

Ramón assesses his dwindling resources in cards and troops. Björn has driven him from Silesia.

TABLE 2. Ramón Guillamat hopes for another victory as Frederick to add to the one gained in the FWC in Berlin. Fate appears to smile, both Russia and Sweden are out by turn 12. But survival has come at a tremendous cost in cards, and the most veteran of the allies knows how to make the most of the situation. Björn claims victory for Austria in turn 13.

Schwerin and Keith desperately try to recapture lost objectives in Silesia and stave off Austrian victory.

TABLE 3. Guillermo hasn’t played as Frederick for many years. His solid defence crumbles in the face of unceasing attacks from all sides. The aggressivity of his enemies drains his hand of cards and Alberto manages to snatch victory for Austria in turn 12, just ahead of Jon Smith’s French, who are left at the gates of Magdeburg.

Alex makes another bid to win. Unluckily for him Maurice manages to beat him off, meanwhile the French, scenting victory, are closing of Magdeburg.

TABLE 4. As an experienced player, Maurice de Wijs knows how to set up a solid defence. Things go pretty well until Poems in turn 12. By then, the Russians had already obliged him to retreat from clubs and he had to hold Alex Calderón back in first hearts, then spades. But it was Juanjo’s French, also fighting in these two suits, who harvested the benefits of Russia’s efforts and clinched victory in turn 13. Andrew did not share his allies’ good fortune.