
- BGG rank
- BGG #23,310
- BGG rating
- 5.7
Africa 1880
- 3–6 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 1997

1999
Rules assistance for Thieves of Bagdad
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Thieves of Bagdad is a board game released in 1999 for 3–6 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Francis Pacherie and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Trading.
Players assume the roles of the famous Arabian characters like Sinbad and Scheherezade and try to move merchants, assassins, magi etc through the bazaar. By accumulating resource cards and selling them, players get more merchants, move them around, driving out lower ranking people and buying gems. The aim is to reach the palace with a diamond in your pocket, and pass it to the Vizier. But the rules allow several winning conditions and players can even steal from your bag of gems, making you buy fake gems to protect your diamond. The different roles make the resources have different values, so Scheherazade prefers silks to weapons, but Sinbad values weapons more.
Thieves of Bagdad supports 3–6 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 Thieves of Bagdad is 90 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 Thieves of Bagdad for ages 10 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.
Thieves of Bagdad has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
Thieves of Bagdad belongs to these categories: Bluffing and Arabian. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Trading. 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 Thieves of Bagdad are: Francis Pacherie. 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 Thieves of Bagdad 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.