The Great Game may not have had any winners, but among the many, many losers, Charles Stoddart's story sure stands out. When he was chosen to serve as diplomat to a Khan known colloquially as 'The Butcher', he may not have been the best man for the job. Unfortunately, he was also the only man on the job.

Sources:

Szczepanski, Kallie. The Execution of Stoddart and Conolly in Bukhara. ThoughtCo. July 3, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/execution-of-stoddart-and-conolly-bukhara-195774

Szczepanski, Kallie. What Was the Great Game? ThoughtCo. July 31, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-was-the-great-game-195341

"The Bug Pit" at Zindon Prison. Atlas Obscura. Last accessed on January 7, 2020. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zindon-prison