
- BGG rank
- BGG #24,640
- BGG rating
- 5.7
James Clavell's Shogun
- 2–5 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1988

1988
Rules assistance for James Clavell's Tai-Pan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
James Clavell's Tai-Pan is a board game released in 1988 for 2–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Albie Fiore and Ian Bailey and its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Role Playing, and Commodity Speculation.
One of the high-priced (for the time) James Clavell games produced by FASA in 1981 ($25.00 retail). This one is about trading on the Chinese coast in the 1830s. Players buy and sell cargo from port-to-port including tea, spices, silk and Opium. Various events come into play via a deck of cards. The player with the most money at the end of the game is the winner.
James Clavell's Tai-Pan supports 2–4 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 James Clavell's Tai-Pan is 120 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 James Clavell's Tai-Pan for ages 12 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.
James Clavell's Tai-Pan has a complexity rating of 2.3 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.
James Clavell's Tai-Pan belongs to these categories: Economic, Nautical, and Novel-based. Its main mechanics are Auction / Bidding, Role Playing, and Commodity Speculation. 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 James Clavell's Tai-Pan are: Albie Fiore and Ian Bailey. 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 James Clavell's Tai-Pan 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.