Phil Barcafer, GM Steve Cuccaro and soon-to-be champ Dave Dentel profess their innocence of all charges.	Jason Wagner, Wade Fowble, Lee Rodrigues, Peter Walsh and defending champ Bob Jamelli tour the Kremlin.

Victory to He who Bides his Time ...

This was the first year that the GM did not qualify for the Final of his own tournament (except for 2006, when he played only as an Eliminator). A stranger first occurred when one of the games had no winner. This happened when George Scouten, who when given the choice between two Politburo members clearly owned by other players and a third with no visible influence, chose the latter as the final Party Chief, hoping that no player would be able to claim him. His wish was granted.

This year only one player (Brian Godwin) won twice. John Keating and Ewan McNay qualified to advance, but had other commitments, so two alternates were advanced to complete the six-player Final. Naturally, the alternates would take first and second.

The Final began with three of the five youngest politicians in the first tier of the Politburo. Tom DeMarco took an early lead by seizing control of Party Chief Apparatchik and KGB head Vasolin (and apparently Defense Minister Nogoodnik, though it turned out that Dave Dendel was truly in control there). Tom was able to get two quick waves out of Nestor thanks to his use of the Miracle Drug card on the first turn. A still-healthy Nestor was sent to the Sanitorium by Nick Smith's Intrigue card play on Turn 3. Nestor finally missed a health roll on Turn 4, and Tom was unable to roll high enough for a wave when it counted, so the game continued.

Nestor succumbed to his illness on Turn 5, and the Party Chief position passed on to Krakemheds, controlled by Brian. Despite ill health, Brian managed to get a wave out of him that turn. On Turn 6 Brian put him in the Sanitorium, where he failed to improve. He was brought back to work the next turn, but was not able to wave, and did not survive Turn 8.

The next Party Chief elected was Goforbrok, who was under Nick's control. He waved on Turn 8, but failed on Turn 9, aging out of the Politburo in the process. Thus Turn 10 started with no Party Chief. By the end of the Health Phase, there were four politicians left in the Politburo, with no KGB head, Sean McCulloch controlling the Defense Minister, and Brian controlling the Foreign Minister, and two second level politicians; this presaged the end of the game, as there weren't enough politicians left to fill the Politburo. Before Sean could claim the victory (the Defense Minister being the only valid candidate, and insufficient Politburo members to vote against his election), Dave played the Assassination card, targeting Palavrian, the 2nd level politician under his control. The assassin's shot missed, and the Defense minister was convicted of the attempt. Brian chose Palavrian as Party Chief, having 6 points of Influence on him; Dave then revealed that he had seven points and so won the tournament.

Bob Wicksand Phil Barcafer both think they control the KGB.	Kevin Barry, George Scouten and Peter Staab tour the gulag.