This year, Bill Alderman has chosen to be a player and has turned the GM duties over to journeyman player and two-time champion Matt Evinger. He accepts this challenge, and of course has his own spin on things. We will continue the 3-heat winners only advance (HWO) format as before, However the two-hand limit of heats will be a 3-hand limit allowing more games to go to 100 points. But the time limit will be strictly enforced, and any delaying tactics will be considered during adjudication to the detriment of the foot draggers.

If points are tied, tie breakers will be: 1. Most ships taken (sunk + prizes), 2. Most Prizes, and 3. Die roll.

Heats: Winners Only (HWO) Only the winners of a heat advance to the Final. Every heat winner of a game may advance. No limit is put on the number of winners that can be accommodated. No substitution with runners-up will be allowed. The Final will include all heat winners who appear. It will play to 100 points regardless of the number of hands. All players in the Final will participate until the end or until they remove themselves. So no more "musical chairs" of recent vintage wherein the lowest scoring player is excused at the end of every hand. The Final may therefore be a long affair if many qualifiers contest the title.

All finalists will receive a Pirates of Spanish Main CCG pack courtesy of the GM.