- BGG rank
- BGG #1,359
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Cockroach Poker Royal
- 2–6 players
- 15–25 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,115
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Cockroach Poker
2004
Rules assistance for Cockroach Poker
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.1/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Cockroach Poker
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Cockroach Poker is a board game released in 2004 for 2–6 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Jacques Zeimet and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Single Loser Game.
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About the game
Cockroach Poker is a reverse set collection game that has nothing to do with poker – except that the game is all about bluffing, with cards that show cockroaches, rats and stink bugs. The goal is to force another player to collect 4 of any one type of critter. The deck includes 64 cards, with eight copies of eight types of critters. To set up the game, shuffle the deck and deal the cards out to players. On a turn, a player takes one card from their hand, lays it face down on the table, slides it to a player of their choice, and declares a type of critter, e.g., "Stink bug". The player receiving the card either Accepts the card, says either "true" or "false", then reveals the card. If this player is wrong in their claim, they keep the card on the table in front of them face up; if they are right, the player who gave them the card places it face up before them. Peeks at the card, then passes it face down to another player, either saying the original type of critter or saying a new type. This new player again has the choice of accepting the card or passing it, unless the card has already been seen by all other players in which case the player must take the first option. Whoever lost a challenge and had to place the card before them on the table begins the next round. The game ends when a player has no cards to pass on their turn or when a player has four cards of the same critter on the table in front of them. In either case, this player loses and everyone else wins.
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Devir
- ADC Blackfire Entertainment
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Gémklub
- Kod Kod
- Korea Boardgames
- Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
- G3
- 999 Games
- Gigamic
- Competo / Marektoy
- Corfix
- Möbius Games
- Oya
- Drei Magier Spiele
- Lion Rampant Imports
- Coiledspring Games
- Lanlalen
- Oxygame
Questions and answers
Cockroach Poker supports 2–6 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 Cockroach Poker is 20 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 Cockroach Poker 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.
Cockroach Poker has a complexity rating of 1.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Cockroach Poker belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Single Loser Game. 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 Cockroach Poker are: Jacques Zeimet. 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 Cockroach Poker 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.