In the first semi-final game, Greg Tanner bid 14 strategic towns to play the British against Robert Frisby. Tanner had defeated Frisby's British forces two days earlier in the Preliminaries. In this meeting, the armies spent most of the game maneuvering for position and fought few battles. The most notable combat prior to the last turn took place in Boston when a Continental force of 9 SPs cleared Boston by eliminating 4 entrenched British SPs. The game also featured two naval battles. Early on the Continental fleet blockaded Philadelphia and then survived an attack from one British battle fleet. The Continental fleet then impeded British naval movement a second turn before a second British assault knocked it hors de combat. The British brought in most of their additional boots in Philadelphia and fanned out from there, occupying 14 towns on the last turn. The Continental forces reached a handful of British controlled strategic towns. In the first battle, the Continentals eliminated the British garrison in Fort Stanwix in an attack at favorable odds, making it unnecessary to resolve the remaining battles, all of which involved less favorable prospects.

Steve Packwood bid 14 to play the British against David Dockter in the other semi. On Turn 1 the British abandoned Quebec and the Continentals soon thereafter abandoned Fort Ticonderoga and sent their main army to New York. The British responded by deploying most of their troops in the northern regions while removing virtually all of their British regulars from the southern regions until the last quarter. By the last turn, they controlled 16 strategic towns, including all of the strategic towns in New England. Concluding that only two of the 16 British controlled towns were vulnerable to attack on the last turn, the Continentals conceded.

The Final between Steve Packwood and Robert Frisby was a rematch of the last two even-numbered Finals. Packwood defeated Frisby in 2008 forhis 12th title and Frisby returned the favor in 2010 to earn his first 1776 title. This year, Packwood bid 15 for the British. The armies did not fight any major battles until the last turn by which time the British occupied 19 strategic towns. The Continentals mustered enough troops to attack five of the 19, needing to eliminate the entire British garrison in all five to win. They had a 4-1 (-1 DRM) in Wyoming; a 2-1 in Norwich; a 3-2 in Hartford; a 3-2 (-1 DRM) in Richmond; and a 3-2 (-1 DRM) in Hillsboro. The Continentals lost the battle at Hillsboro when they obtained an "NE" following an adverse tactical card result. The British victory there made it unnecessary to resolve the other four battles and Steve Packwood thus won his record 13th 1776 title after a two-year absence.

This year the players bid either 14 or 15 strategic towns to play the British in all 14 games. The bid was 15 in eight games and 14 in six games. The British won five of the eight games where the bid was 15. The British won three of the six games where the bid was 14. The bid was 14 in both semi-final games, and the British went 1-1. The bid was 15 in the Final, and the British prevailed. It thus appears that we can achieve reasonable play balance with bids in the 14-15 range. None of the players used chess clocks this year, even though the event preview provided for their use. This did not seem to cause any problems; therefore, we will likely stop providing for their use in the tournament rules and procedures.

However, this may prove to be the last year for 1776 at WBC. The Board has voted to eliminate from the membership ballot all events which have failed to draw the required minimum participation in seven of its last ten years. 1776, while proving, for whatever reasons, to be a perennial vote getter has failed to attract sufficient players to actually compete repeatedly, and in the final analysis that is what it's all about. If enough players do not participate, the slot is best opened for a more worthy candidate to get its chance in the limelight. It's only path to return in 2012 is via sponsorship.

Grognard GM Bruno Sinigaglio and 1776 "Get Out the Vote" promoter Dave Docktor.	Defending champ Robert Frisby loses his rematch with 12-time champ Packwood.