Red Alert 2 and Yuri's revenge issue, start fails

@blackdon 

-There are a few things you can do to help RA2 to run better:

• The graphics system patch DDWrapper is known to solve a multitude of graphics problems, including the "black screen" issue.
  Download the zip file and extract "ddraw.dll" and "aqrit.cfg" into your game folder. Then, open the configuration file "aqrit.cfg" in Notepad, change the "ForceDirectDrawEmulation" option to 1, save the file, and try running the game again

• Installing Bibber's fixed game launchers might help with the fact it switched back to your desktop. Also make sure to disable any game overlay system or and notification systems that may be running in the background, since they all have the potential of switching a fullscreen game back to desktop.
• If you still have problems with RA2 even after this, I advise installing the CnCNet online play installer for RA2/YR. Even if you're not interested in online play, it comes with a bunch of automatic fixes, and has a configuration tool which offers more choices in graphics fixes than just DDWrapper, so if one doesn't work you can just try if some of the other options do the trick.

If all that doesn't help you out, you may consider running the game in windowed mode. Though do note that your monitor won't zoom the battlefield then, and units might be rather tiny on your screen that way.