How can I bluff in the game?

The wager can serve as a means of bluffing – for example by placing big  wager, you can trick other players into believing that you played trade, even if you played attack or defense instead. In this way, you can lure others into attacking. When you then play successful defense, you gain a special card and the attackers are stripped of half of their fortune.

You can also bluff by faking defense. If other player become convinced that the ship will be defended, they are likely to play trade. In this case, if you play attack instead, you take the ship´s cargo together with the wagers of other players who played trade.

What to do if I am losing after the first few rounds of the game?

It looks as if player with the least amount of coins has to attack out of desperation. This is actually not always the best choice. Leading rich players tend to defend, as they are afraid of losing half their fortune in an unsuccessful attack. This leaves the opportunity for others to trade. Moreover, if the leading players defend successfully, they get special cards that further help them in the game.