Grandmaster is a Silver trophy in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced for winning one match of every tavern game: Checkers, Nine-Man Morris and Fanorona. You do not need to beat the hardest opponents. This guide uses the three 1-star tables, explains how to unlock each tavern and gives a practical strategy for every board.
Grandmaster Quick Overview
| Trophy | Grandmaster |
|---|---|
| Grade | Silver |
| Requirement | Win Checkers, Nine-Man Morris and Fanorona once each. |
| Missable? | No. Tavern games remain available in free roam. |
| Difficulty required | None. A win at each 1-star table is sufficient. |
| Recommended route | Andreas Island, Salt Key Bank, then Crooked Island. |
| Unlock method | Buy a drink at a locked tavern and win the brawl that follows. |
| Estimated time | About 20-45 minutes, depending on Fanorona and Nine-Man Morris. |
Easiest Grandmaster Trophy Route
Use the 1-star opponent for each game. The trophy only tracks the game type you defeated, not the stake, region or opponent difficulty.
| Order | Game | Easiest Tavern | Region | Coordinates | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Checkers | Andreas Island | Eleuthera | (543, 697) | 1 star |
| 2 | Nine-Man Morris | Salt Key Bank | Dry Tortuga | (467, 605) | 1 star |
| 3 | Fanorona | Crooked Island | Gibara | (777, 520) | 1 star |
- Start with Checkers at Andreas Island. It uses familiar rules and is the best place to learn how tavern wagers, tutorials and match completion work.
- Travel to Salt Key Bank for Nine-Man Morris. Focus on placement, block immediate mills and create two threats at once.
- Finish with Fanorona at Crooked Island. Use the in-game tutorial or the optional solver below if approach, withdrawal and capture chains feel unclear.
- Wait for the result screen after every win. Do not exit during the victory animation; the Grandmaster trophy should unlock after the third different game records a win.
One-stop alternative: Great Inagua has all three games close together around (817-820, 443-446), but those tables use expert opponents. The three-island route takes more travel and much less board-game pain.
How to Unlock Tavern Games
Synchronizing a viewpoint reveals nearby taverns, but newly found tables may not be active yet. Complete the short tavern event before trying to sit down.
- Synchronize the island viewpoint.
- Use the tavern filter on the world map.
- Follow the tavern icon to the bar.
- Speak with the person behind the bar.
- Purchase the drink when prompted.
- A hostile group appears nearby.
- Defeat every marked enemy.
- Return to the table after combat ends.
- The first match offers a rules tutorial.
Choose the lowest available wager while working on the trophy. Winning more Reales or defeating a higher-rated opponent is optional.
Checkers: Andreas Island Strategy
Play the 1-star Checkers opponent at Andreas Island, Eleuthera, around (543, 697). Checkers is the simplest game in the route and a good first win.
Rules You Need
- Each side starts with 12 pieces on the dark squares of an 8-by-8 board.
- Ordinary pieces move diagonally forward by one square.
- If a legal jump is available, the capture is mandatory.
- Multiple captures can be chained during the same turn.
- A piece reaching the far back row becomes a King and can move forward or backward.
- You win by taking every enemy piece or leaving the opponent with no legal move.
Reliable 1-Star Strategy
- Keep pieces connected. Isolated pieces are easy to capture without a useful trade.
- Hold the center. Central pieces have more movement and capture options than edge pieces.
- Protect your back row early. This delays enemy Kings and keeps the game easier to control.
- Use forced-capture bait. Offer one piece when the mandatory jump pulls the opponent into your return capture.
- Promote one King before attacking everywhere. A King makes cleanup and blocking much safer.
Nine-Man Morris: Salt Key Bank Strategy
Play the 1-star Nine-Man Morris table at Salt Key Bank, Dry Tortuga, around (467, 605). The game rewards planning two moves ahead more than chasing immediate captures.
Rules You Need
- Both players first take turns placing nine pieces on open board points.
- Three connected pieces in a straight line form a mill.
- Every completed mill lets you remove one opposing piece.
- After all pieces are placed, move one piece per turn along a board line to an adjacent empty point.
- With only three pieces left, a player can fly a piece to any open point.
- You win by reducing the opponent to two pieces or blocking every legal move.
Reliable 1-Star Strategy
- Prefer junctions over corners. Points with several connected lines create more future mills.
- Build two threats at once. A fork forces the AI to block one line while you complete the other.
- Block every obvious pair. When the opponent has two pieces on one line and the third point is open, take it immediately.
- Remove flexible pieces first. Target pieces outside a completed mill that could create another mill next turn.
- Create a mill shuttle. Move one piece out of a mill and back in on the next turn to trigger repeated removals when the position is safe.
- Finish quickly after the opponent reaches three. Flying makes the last phase less predictable, so keep blocking and force the final removal.
Fanorona: Crooked Island Strategy
Play the 1-star Fanorona opponent at Crooked Island, Gibara, around (777, 520). Fanorona is the hardest of the three because a single move can capture by approaching or withdrawing and may continue into a chain.
Rules You Need
- Each player begins with 22 pieces and moves one piece to an adjacent empty point along a board line.
- Approach capture: move toward an enemy line to remove the connected pieces beyond your destination.
- Withdrawal capture: move away from an adjacent enemy line to remove the connected pieces behind your starting point.
- Captures are mandatory whenever one is available.
- The same piece can continue a capture chain, but it cannot revisit a point or repeat the same direction consecutively.
- You win by clearing every enemy piece or leaving the opponent unable to move.
Reliable 1-Star Strategy
- Check both capture types. The largest approach capture is not always better than a withdrawal that leaves your piece protected.
- Stay on the diagonal red-line intersections. These points offer more escape and counter-capture options.
- Avoid ending chains at the edge. A huge capture is poor value if the AI takes your exposed piece immediately.
- Stop a chain when the next jump is a trap. After at least one capture, use the cancel/end-turn input shown by the game instead of automatically continuing.
- Think about the forced reply. Before moving, check which capture the AI will be required to make next turn.
Fast fallback: the free Fanorona solver loads the Black Flag starting layout and can calculate full multi-capture routes. Recreate the current board, choose whose turn it is and follow the numbered arrows.
Open Fanorona SolverGrandmaster Troubleshooting
The trophy tracks completed wins, not matches started. If it stays locked, verify the three game types and the tavern result screens.
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The game table has no opponent | The tavern event is incomplete | Buy a drink, defeat the enemies that appear and return after the brawl. |
| A higher-level opponent keeps winning | You selected a medium or expert table | Use Andreas Island, Salt Key Bank and Crooked Island for the three 1-star matches. |
| Checkers forces an unwanted move | A capture is available | Mandatory jumps override ordinary moves; follow the capture, then plan the return trade. |
| Nine-Man Morris keeps ending in a draw | Both sides are repeating safe moves | Break the loop by creating a second mill threat or blocking the opponent completely. |
| Fanorona keeps taking half your pieces | A forced capture chain was left open | Check the AI’s mandatory reply and stop your own chain early when continuing exposes the piece. |
| Three games were played but no trophy | One match was lost, drawn or exited early | Replay the 1-star route and wait through each victory result screen. |
Grandmaster Trophy Checklist
- Unlock the Andreas Island tavern.
- Win 1-star Checkers at (543, 697).
- Unlock the Salt Key Bank tavern.
- Win 1-star Nine-Man Morris at (467, 605).
- Unlock the Crooked Island tavern.
- Win 1-star Fanorona at (777, 520).
- Use the Fanorona solver only if the normal strategy stalls.
- Confirm the trophy after the third victory screen.
Sources and Image Credits
The three required game types, 1-star locations, coordinates, rules and board strategies were verified with GameTyrant’s tavern mini-game guide and MapMaster’s Grandmaster route. Tavern unlock behavior was cross-checked with the PowerPyx tavern guide. Checkers tactics were checked against the All Things How Checkers guide. Fanorona capture-chain behavior and the optional solver were verified through Fanorona.com. Gameplay images are Ubisoft screenshots sourced via GameTyrant.
Grandmaster FAQ
Which tavern games count for Grandmaster?
You must win Checkers, Nine-Man Morris and Fanorona once each.
Do I need to beat every difficulty?
No. One win in each game type is enough, so use the 1-star opponents at Andreas Island, Salt Key Bank and Crooked Island.
Can all three games be played at Great Inagua?
Yes. Great Inagua has all three tables close together, but they use expert opponents. The separate 1-star route is easier.
How do I unlock a tavern game?
Buy a drink at the locked tavern, defeat the enemies in the resulting brawl and return to the game table.
Which Grandmaster game is hardest?
Fanorona is usually the hardest because captures are mandatory and can chain by approach or withdrawal. The free solver provides a reliable fallback.
Is Grandmaster missable?
No. Every required tavern and game remains accessible in free roam after the story.