Theme : Blackbeard: the Golden Age of Piracy is a game based on the historical careers of Black Bart Roberts, Long Ben Avery, Ned Lowe, L'Ollonais, and, of course, Edward Teach (Blackbeard). There are 23 pirates, as well as the King's Commissioners sent out to stop them. Redesigned from the original Avalon Hill version, Blackbeard is one of the best pirate games out there.

Gameplay : Players represent individual pirates, using them to gain Victory Points by amassing booty and, even more importantly, earning Notoriety for their dastardly deeds. Seizing merchants with cargo ranging from useless paper to the monumental treasure of the Mughal emperors, attacking and sacking ports, fighting storms and scurvy, seeking safe haven in infamous pirate ports such as Tortuga and Madagascar, and, hopefully, using Letters of Marque to retire successfully.

And while the player is doing this, all of the other players, at the same time, are playing their cards and seizing opportunities to stop the pirates. There is a constant interplay among players, and you never know what is going to happen when you set out to do something.

Blackbeard has simplified movement (no more hexes) and ship battles with expanded rules for Royal Navy warships, and individual hostages (Yes, there is a "Governor's Daughter".)

Contents :

• 1 34x22-inch game board
  
• 110 cards in 2 decks
  
• 2 sheets of counters
  
• 10 Pirate Displays
  
• 1 Charts & Tables Card
  
• 1 Actions Summary Card
  
• 1 Rule Book
  
• 2 six-sided dice