The article analyses the problems of bilateral relations between Great Britain and Russia in 2006-2008 through the conception of foreign policy symbolic games. It shows how Russia managed to create and sustain the asymmetrical relations, which allowed Russia having the initiative to define these relations and formulate the rules of the game. The article reveals how a seemingly simple story can become the long-term event of the bilateral relations, as well as demonstrates how it is possible to 'loose' the symbolic game in foreign relations first of all because of misapprehension what kind of game is played.