James Clavell’s Tai-Pan is a trading and racing game published by FASA in 1981, based on the best-selling novel by James Clavell. Set in the 1830s during the height of the East Asian opium trade, players control merchant fleets competing in international commerce. Each player uses a clipper ship to buy opium in India and sell it in China, then employs local lorchas to purchase Chinese goods like silk and tea. Players race their clippers back to England where the first to arrive sells cargo at the highest prices.
Components
Game board (map showing India, China, and England trade routes)
Clipper ship tokens (1 per player)
Lorcha tokens (3 per player)
Cargo cards (opium, silk, tea, and other goods)
Money tokens
Market fluctuation cards
Event cards
Dice
Setup
Place the game board showing the trade routes between India, China, and England.
Each player takes 1 clipper ship and 3 lorchas in their color.
Place clipper ships at the starting port.
Distribute starting capital to each player.
Shuffle event and market cards.
Turn Structure
On your turn:
Move your ships (clipper and/or lorchas).
Buy or sell goods at your current port.
Resolve any events.
Handle market fluctuations as applicable.
Actions
Movement
Move your clipper ship along the main trade routes between India, China, and England.
Move your lorchas along local Chinese coastal routes to buy goods.
Clipper movement determines the racing element – faster clippers arrive in England first.
Buying Goods
In India, purchase opium to sell in China.
In China, use lorchas to buy silk, tea, and other Chinese goods from local markets.
Prices fluctuate based on market cards and player activity.
Selling Goods
Sell opium in China for profit.
Sell Chinese goods in England – the first clipper to arrive gets the best prices.
Each subsequent arrival receives lower prices for the same goods.
Events
Event cards represent historical occurrences and random encounters that affect trade, movement, and profits.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The winner is the player who accumulates the most wealth. Each clipper sailing back to England is a race where greater profits are realized for arriving first. The game tracks cumulative wealth across multiple trading voyages.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Market fluctuations affect buying and selling prices, requiring players to time their trades.
The racing element means players must balance loading up with goods (heavier = slower) versus speed to market.
Lorchas operate independently in China, allowing players to acquire goods from multiple ports.
Events can disrupt trade routes or provide opportunities.
The rules are described as “simple and elegant, taking into account clipper movement, market fluctuations, and a wide range of events.”