“BOHNANZA: How To Play and Strategy Guide” is a comprehensive article that provides a detailed overview of the popular board game, Bohnanza. From the objective of the game to the setup, gameplay, and strategies, this guide offers valuable insights for both beginners and seasoned players. With its emphasis on trading, supply and demand, and maximizing profits, Bohnanza presents a unique and engaging gaming experience. Whether you’re looking to learn the rules or enhance your strategy, this article has you covered.
BOHNANZA: How To Play and Strategy Guide
Objective of Bohnanza
The objective of Bohnanza is to be the player with the most coins at the end of the game. Players must strategize and make smart decisions about planting, harvesting, and selling beans in order to maximize their profits.
Number of Players
Bohnanza can be played with 2-7 players, making it a versatile game that can accommodate different group sizes.
Materials
To play Bohnanza, you will need the following materials:
- 154 bean cards of varying sets
- Seven 3rd bean field cards
- 1 rule book
These materials are essential for gameplay and ensure that each player has the necessary resources to participate.
Type of Game
Bohnanza is a competitive/cooperative trading resource game. Players must navigate the dynamics of supply and demand, trade with other players, and strategically manage their bean fields in order to come out on top.
Audience
Bohnanza is suitable for all people ages 13 and up. The game’s mechanics and strategy make it engaging for both casual players and enthusiasts alike.
Overview of Bohnanza
In Bohnanza, players take on the role of bean farmers. They must plant, harvest, and sell beans in order to accumulate the most gold by the end of the game. The game revolves around the concepts of supply and demand, as players must make strategic decisions about when to sell their beans and when to trade with other players for maximum profit.
The Cards
The game consists of 154 bean cards of varying sets. These cards represent different types of beans that players can plant and harvest. Each bean card has a gold coin side and a bean side, indicating its value when sold.
Setup
To set up the game, the seven 3rd bean field cards are left in the box, and all remaining valid cards are shuffled. Depending on the number of players, certain bean types may be omitted. Five cards are then dealt randomly to each player face-down, and the remaining bean cards are placed gold coin side up in the center of the table as the draw deck.
During setup, players must pick up their hand of cards without changing the order. The organization of the hand remains the same throughout the game. Players also decide which side they will plant cards from and which side they will add cards to. The player left of the dealer starts the game.
Gameplay
Bohnanza gameplay unfolds in four phases, each requiring players to execute specific actions:
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Planting Beans: The player must plant the first bean card in their hand into one of their fields. If it matches any of their currently planted beans or if they have an empty bean field, it can be added accordingly. If no matching beans or empty fields are available, the player must uproot and sell their beans, even if they receive no gold.
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Draw, Trade, and Donate Beans: After planting their initial beans, the player draws the two topmost cards from the bean deck and places them face-up on the table. These cards can be kept and planted, traded with other players, or donated to other players. Any acquired beans must be planted.
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Planting Donated and Traded Beans: Once all trades and donations are finalized, the player must plant any beans acquired during the previous phase. The order of planting can be chosen by the player, but all beans acquired must be planted. If there are unmatched beans with no open bean field, the player must harvest and sell a bean field or purchase a third bean field.
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Draw New Bean Cards: To end their turn, the player draws three cards, one at a time, from the bean deck. These cards are added to the back of their hand in the order drawn. If the draw deck is empty, the discard pile is reshuffled and used as the new draw deck.
Selling Harvested Beans
Beans can be harvested and sold at any time during the game, even outside of the player’s turn. To harvest, the player collects all beans of the same type from their bean field and counts them. The corresponding bean card indicates the amount of gold received for a given quantity of beans sold. The sold beans are flipped to their gold side and placed near the player, while the remaining bean cards go to the discard pile.
It’s important to note that selling beans may result in no gold if the corresponding bean card does not provide any value. Additionally, beans can only be sold from fields containing two or more beans, unless all fields only have one bean.
Third Bean Fields
Third bean fields allow players to plant a third row of beans. They can be purchased for three gold and used immediately. Each player can only have one third bean field. To purchase a third bean field, the player discards the top three gold from their gold pile and receives a third bean field card.
Buying a third bean field provides players with additional flexibility and strategic options in managing their bean fields.
Ending the Game
The game ends when the draw deck has been emptied for the third time. If the deck is emptied during phase two, phase three is still completed before the game concludes. If a player cannot draw two cards during phase two, they may draw only one.
At the end of the game, all players set aside their hands and harvest their fields. Gold is counted, and the player with the most gold wins. In the event of a tie, the player with the most cards in their remaining hand among the tied players is declared the winner.
Game Variations
Bohnanza offers variations for different player counts, ensuring an optimal gaming experience for different group sizes:
- 3 players: Cocoa beans are removed, each player starts the game with a third bean field (another cannot be purchased), and the game ends after the deck is emptied a second time.
- 4-5 players: Coffee beans are removed from the game.
- 6-7 players: Cocoa and garden beans are removed, starting hands are adjusted (3 cards for the first player, 4 cards for the second player, 5 cards for the third player, and 6 cards for the remaining players), the active player draws four cards during phase four instead of three, and a third bean field only costs 2 gold.
These variations add complexity and excitement to the gameplay, catering to different player preferences and group sizes.
In conclusion, Bohnanza is a competitive/cooperative trading resource game that challenges players to strategically plant, harvest, and sell beans to accumulate the most gold. With its simple yet engaging gameplay and various game variations, Bohnanza offers an enjoyable experience for players ages 13 and up. So gather your friends and embrace the life of a bean farmer in this exciting game of supply and demand. Good luck and happy bean farming!
