Notorious Pirates is a 2-4 player game that pits players against each other. The game is played in two phases with three rounds in each phase. The first phase is called Buccaneer's Bones. Each player secretly rolls their own set of dice. In turn order players make a bid on the dice they think are under everyone's cup. The bids are increased as players take their turns. Once a player thinks the previous bidder has overbid their hand, they call the bidder a cheat and a liar. The dice are then revealed to determine the winner of that round. The winner gains reputation and the Pirate Booty. The goal of this phase is to arm your fleet of four ships the best you can for the second phase of the game.
The second phase of the game called Battle on the High Sea is where players battle it out to determine who is the most Notorious Pirate. Players take turns either ramming or launching their cannons at the other players fleets. The game features a deck of historical pirate captains to help players along the way. There is also a deck of pirate cards allow players to cheat, trick or steal their way to victory. The unique replay ability of the game is nearly limitless even though the goals are the same. As players get to know the Notorious Pirates board game, they will be able to capitalize on the many strategies built into the game to help them win it.
The winner is determined by who has the most reputation at the end of the third round of Battle on the High Sea. Reputation is gained in both phases of the game.
—description from the publisher