MILAN TOP BOARD FINAL MOVE

by Edi Birsan


This is the final position on the Top Board of the Milan 2006 tournament and represents a good tactical example for a Center Count C-Diplo style ending. The game ends in the Fall of 1907 and the scoring system is such that the player's center count in 05 and 06 plus four times the 1907 count is the key to winning. Going into the Fall the two contenders are France and Russia. The French had center counts of 7 and 8 and the Russians had center counts of 6 and 7 going into the last round, so the Russians needed to beat the French by one center to win.

The basic diplomacy behind the final move was:

With 1 minute to go in the negotiations the following is exchanged:

The buzzer hits and all orders are in, the Russian makes his one 'Grace Call' or 'Yellow Card' call to change his orders with 1 minute.

So what do you do as Russia, and what happens?

Date end Spring 1907

England

centers: Edi, Lon, Nwy, Hol
units: F Nwy, A Yor, F Hol, F Den

France

centers: Por, Spa, Mar, Par, Bre, Kie, Lvp, Bel
units: A Bur, A Ruh, A Kie, F Lon, F Cly, F Wes, A Gas

Germany

centers: Den
units: F Bal

Italy

centers: Tun, Nap, Rom, Ven
units: F Ion, A Tyr, A Ven, F Apu

Austria

centers: Rum, Bud, Vie, Ser, Tri
units: A Ser, A Bud, A Vie, A Mun, F Alb

Russia

centers: Sev, War, Mos, StP, Swe, Ber, Mun
units: A Boh, A Gal, A Rum, A StP, F Swe, A Ber, A Pru

Turkey

centers: Ank, Smy, Con, Bul, Gre
units: F Aeg, A Bul, A Gre, A Con

What should the Russian orders be?

Edi Birsan
(edi@diplom.org)

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