Bohnanza Rules

Bohnanza Rules

Game Overview

Bohnanza is a popular and engaging card game designed by Uwe Rosenberg, first published in 1997. It is suitable for 3-5 players and requires the Bohnanza card game set, which includes various bean cards, bean field mats, and a rule booklet. You can purchase the game on Amazon (jeu de cartes bohnanza on Amazon).

Objective

The objective of Bohnanza is to accumulate the most gold coins by planting, trading, and harvesting beans in your bean fields. The player with the most gold coins at the end of the game is the winner.

Setup

1. Give each player a bean field mat (with three bean fields on one side and two on the other). If there are three players, use the mats with the three bean fields side up. If there are four or five players, start with two bean fields each.
2. Pick a starting player and give them the starting player card. Shuffle all the bean cards and deal five cards to each player.
3. Place the remaining cards in the center of the table as a draw pile, gold coin side up. During the game, create a discard pile next to it and a gold coin stack in front of each player.

How to Play

Step 1: Plant Bean Cards From Your Hand

Players must plant the first card in their hand (the one that is completely visible) in one of their fields. After that, they may choose to plant one more card (the one that is now completely visible) in one of their fields. They cannot plant a third bean at this time.

Step 2: Turn Over and Trade Bean Cards

Turn over the top two cards from the draw pile and put them next to it face-up for all players to see. These cards belong to the active player, who can plant them in their fields or use them to trade with the other players.

Step 3: Plant Turned-over and Traded Bean Cards

All players who have horizontal cards next to their bean fields now have to plant them. The active player will also have to plant any turned-over cards they have not traded away. Players can continue trading for as long as they like, even after the turned-over cards are gone.

Step 4: Draw Bean Cards

End your turn by drawing three cards, one after the other, from the draw pile. Put them in the back of your hand, behind the last card, in the order you draw them. Then, the player to your left becomes the new active player.

Scoring and End of Game

Players can harvest beans from their fields at any time during the game, even when they are not the active player. Each kind of bean has its own beanometer, which tells you how many gold coins you get for a given number of beans you harvest. The game ends when the draw pile runs out for the third time. At the end of the game, harvest all of your bean fields and count the cards in your gold coin stack. The player with the most gold coins wins the game!

Common Variants

Three additional bean kinds - Cocoa Bean, Wax Bean, and Coffee Bean - are only used in the variant for up to 7 players.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Sorting your cards: You cannot change the order of the cards in your hand at any point during the game.
2. Illegal trades: You cannot trade cards you have received in a trade or the cards in your fields.
3. Forgetting to plant: You must plant the first card in your hand (i.e., the one that is completely visible) in one of your fields during your turn.
4. Harvesting inefficiently: Be aware of the beanometer for each bean type to maximize your gold coin earnings when harvesting.

FAQ

Q: Can I trade with other players during my turn?

A: Only the active player is allowed to trade with the other players.

Q: Can I trade more than one bean card at a time?

A: Yes, you can trade any number of beans for any number of other beans (e.g., two Blue Beans for one Green Bean).

Q: What happens if I run out of cards to draw from the draw pile?

A: When you draw the last card from the draw pile, re-shuffle the discard pile. Turn it over and put it back in the center of the table as the new draw pile.