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Cockroach Poker box art
2004 Ranked #1,099

Cockroach Poker

A razor-clean party game of tells, double bluffs, and escalating panic where everyone can win except the player who finally breaks.

Party Games Bluffing Card Game Hand Management Single Loser Game

Players

2-6

Play time

20 min

Age

8+

Complexity

1.1/5

Rating

6.80

Easier to teach Highly interactive Light strategy
Compare 1 verified offer Watch how to play

Overview

At a glance

Is this game right for my group?

ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.

Teachability 4.8/5

Easier to teach

Replay value 4.4/5

High replayability

Interaction 5.0/5

Highly interactive

Player scaling 4.4/5

Scales well

Strategic depth 2.4/5

Light strategy

Player control 3.3/5

Luck-sensitive

Setup time About 3 min
Teach time About 5 min
Recommended edition Cockroach Poker – Drei Magier Spiele English edition (2004)
See all 25 specifications

How it plays

How does it play?

Pass grotesque critters face down, name them truthfully or not, and read the table before one unlucky bluffer collects a losing set.

Core mechanisms

Key systems that shape the decisions players make.

Hand Management

Time and sequence a limited hand of cards to preserve future options.
Set Collection

Gather related items that become more valuable when scored together.
Single Loser Game

Everyone can succeed except the single player who meets the losing condition.
Read the full game description

Cockroach Poker is a pure bluffing game with no traditional poker hands and no single winner—only one loser. Deal the 64 illustrated creature cards, then pass one face down while claiming that it shows a particular critter. The recipient may call the statement true or false, or secretly inspect the card and pass it onward with a new claim. Whoever is wrong keeps the creature face up. The first player to collect four of one species, or run out of cards when required to lead, loses.

Browse all classifications

Type

1
Party Games

Category

3
Bluffing Card Game Party Game

Mechanism

3
Hand Management Set Collection Single Loser Game

Shopping

Where to buy

Compare verified product links, then confirm the edition, shipping, and availability with the retailer.

Zatu Games

Cockroach Poker English Edition

GBP 7.39 In Stock
View at retailer

Videos (1)

How to play

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Photos (4)

Game detail 1 of 4

Photo

Publisher source

Editions

Language and publisher variants currently recorded in the catalog.

Edition Year Language Publisher / Region
Cockroach Poker – Drei Magier Spiele English edition (2004) 2004 English Drei Magier Spiele / UK

Game and edition data

All specifications (25)

Play and group

Players
2–6
Play time
20 min
Age
8+
Complexity
1.1/5
App
None app Source
Player elimination
No Source
Downtime
Low Source

Practicalities

Setup time
About 3 min Source
Teach time
About 5 min Source
Teardown time
About 2 min Source

Campaign and continuity

Group continuity
Flexible Source
Resettable
Fully Resettable Source
Save system
No campaign or save system. Source
Consumable components
No consumable components. Source

Edition and product

Optional extras
The two-player variant uses a reduced deck; all other counts use the standard pass-or-challenge structure. Source
Recommended edition
Cockroach Poker – Drei Magier Spiele English edition (2004) Source
Language
English
Region
UK
Availability
Current
Edition type
Standard Source
Current edition
Yes Source
Box weight
180 g Source
Box dimensions
11.0 × 11.0 × 3.5 cm Source
Consumable components
None. Source
Compatibility
English Rules Edition With The Complete 64 Card Base Game. Source

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Credits and catalog connections

Credits

Designers

1
Jacques Zeimet

Artists

1
Rolf Vogt

Publishers

1
Drei Magier Spiele