A Pirate's Word: The Captain's Orders
- 2–8 players
- 15–30 min
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,920
- BGG rating
- 7.6
A Pirate's Word
2025
Rules assistance for A Pirate's Word
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–8 players
- 15–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for A Pirate's Word
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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
A Pirate's Word is a board game released in 2025 for 2–8 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Mario Arze and its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Auction: Sealed Bid.
Expansions
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About the game
Centuries ago, the legendary Blackbeard sailed the seas, leaving behind a treasure so vast it was nearly impossible to hide. Nowadays, gems of immeasurable value appear daily on the nearby islands. You’ve come seeking riches—but you’re not the only greedy pirate on the island. The game lasts five Days. Each day, new Gems are placed on the Islands, which sit between each pair of players. Everyone has 3 cards in hand: 2 green (for cooperation) and 1 red (for betrayal). You'll secretly choose one card to place face down on the Island to your left, and another on the one to your right. If both players choose green, they split the Gems. If one goes green and the other red, the red player takes all the Gems. But if both play red, no one gets anything. Everything is up for negotiation—but will you trust a pirate’s word? —description from the publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Primigenio
Questions and answers
A Pirate's Word supports 2–8 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for A Pirate's Word is 15–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists A Pirate's Word for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
A Pirate's Word has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
A Pirate's Word belongs to these categories: Bluffing, Pirates, and Negotiation. Its main mechanics are Take That, Set Collection, and Auction: Sealed Bid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of A Pirate's Word are: Mario Arze. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists A Pirate's Word as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.