# Bohnanza ## General Info - **Year Published**: 1997 - **BGG Rating**: 7.1 - **BGG Rank**: #546 - **Players**: 2-7 (Best with: 5) - **Duration**: 45 min - **Weight**: 1.67 / 5 - **Designers**: Uwe Rosenberg - **Artists**: Beth Sobel, Björn Pertoft, Klemens Franz, Mady Nijenhuis - **Publishers**: AMIGO, 999 Games, Albi, Brain Games, Broadway Toys LTD, Copag Cards (Copag) - **Categories**: Card Game, Farming, Negotiation - **Mechanics**: Hand Management, Multi-Use Cards, Negotiation, Set Collection, Trading ## Verdict If you're looking for a unique card game that thrives on player interaction and clever negotiation, Bohnanza is a fantastic choice. Its core mechanic of un-reorderable hands creates delightful tension and drives constant trading. Unique hand management creates engaging dilemmas Excellent player interaction and negotiation Surprisingly strategic for a card game Great fun with a lively group Can be slow with indecisive traders Initial rules explanation might feel clunky RECOMMENDED ## Description Bohnanza is a card game where you grow and sell beans — and the catch is you can't reorder the cards in your hand. Each player starts with a handful of random bean cards and two or three fields in front of them. On your turn, you must plant the first one or two cards from your hand into your fields. Each field holds only one bean type, so if you draw a type you have no room for, you'll need to harvest (sell) an entire field to make space — and that's rarely a good move. The heart of the game is trading. After planting, you flip two cards from the deck and can swap any cards in your hand or those two new ones with other players. You can even promise future cards in exchange for what you need right now. The rule that every deal must involve the active player keeps things lively and prevents quiet backroom exchanges. When you harvest a field, you convert the bean cards into coins using the beanometer — the more beans of the same type, the higher the payout. When the deck runs out, you shuffle the discards and play through it two more times. At the end, everyone harvests whatever is left in their fields, and the player with the most coins wins. Designed by Uwe Rosenberg in 1997, Bohnanza is a timeless classic that hasn't aged a bit. It's easy to learn but has enough strategic depth to satisfy both newcomers and seasoned players. There are base, expanded (includes the first expansion and supports up to 7 players), Pocket, and even a 2023 flower-themed edition. The Brazilian version includes the Erweiterungs-Set and adapted two-player rules based on Al Cabohne. ## How to Play Game Objective Welcome to Bohnanza, the game where you become a true bean magnate! Get ready to plant, trade, and harvest your precious beans. Your objective is simple: accumulate as many gold coins as possible. The more beans of the same type you have in your fields, the more gold you earn at harvest time. At the end of the game, whoever has the largest pile of coins will be the grand winner! Preparation (Setup) Let's set up the table to start our plantation: Each player receives a bean field mat. If there are three players, use the side of the mat with three bean fields facing up. If there are four or five players, use the side with two bean fields. Choose a starting player and give them the starting player card. It stays with them until the end of the game. The 104 bean cards (with 8 different types, each showing the quantity of cards of that type in the game, such as 6x, 8x, etc.) must be shuffled. Deal five cards to each player. Attention! This is the most important rule of the entire game! You must never change the order of the cards in your hand. The first card you receive is the first in your hand (fully visible). The others come behind it, in the order received. Do not group, do not reorganize, do not mess with the order! Place the remaining cards in the center of the table, forming a draw pile with the gold coin side facing up. During the game, you will create a discard pile next to the draw pile and a gold pile in front of each player. The Game Turn The starting player begins, and from then on, turns proceed clockwise. When it's your turn, you perform four phases, always in this order: 1. Planting Bean Cards from Hand In this phase, you are obligated to plant the first card from your hand (the one that is fully visible) in one of your fields. After that, if you wish, you can plant one more card – the one that is now fully visible – in another field. You cannot plant a third bean in this phase. When planting, you start or extend a column of beans in the field. Important Rules for Planting Beans: You can only plant one type of bean in each field. It is allowed to plant the same type of bean in two different fields. It is not allowed to plant two types of bean in the same field. Place the cards one on top of the other, forming vertical rows, leaving only the top visible. If you need to plant a type of bean for which you don't have space, you will have to harvest a field first. If your hand is empty at the beginning of this phase, you skip it and go directly to Phase 2. 2. Turning and Trading Bean Cards Now it's time to negotiate! Take the top two cards from the draw pile and turn them over for everyone to see. These cards are yours, and you can plant them or use them to trade with other players. Rules for Trading Beans: Only the active player can trade with other players. The others cannot trade among themselves. All players can use cards from their hand to trade, regardless of their position. The active player can use the two face-up cards and/or cards from their hand to trade. It is not allowed to trade cards that have just been received in a trade. It is not allowed to trade cards already planted in the fields. You can trade any number of beans, of any type, for any other number of beans, of any type (e.g., two Blue Beans for one Green Bean). As a special form of negotiation, you can also give bean cards to another player, but they must agree to receive them. When a trade is agreed upon, the received beans are placed horizontally, next to your fields, for now. Do not put them in your hand! You can continue trading as much as you want. When you decide to stop, inform the other players. This ends Phase 2. 3. Planting Turned and Traded Bean Cards All players who have cards horizontally, next to their fields, must plant them now. As the active player, you must also plant any face-up cards from the pile that you failed to trade. You can plant these new cards in any order you choose. If you need to plant a type of bean that does not match those you have already planted, you will have to harvest a field first. 4. Drawing Bean Cards To end your turn, draw three cards, one after another, from the draw pile. Place them at the back of your hand, behind the last card, in the order you drew them. Then, the player to your left becomes the new active player. Harvesting Beans You can harvest beans from your fields at any time, even when it's not the active player's turn, and as many times as you want. Each type of bean has its own Beanometer, which indicates how many gold coins you earn for a certain quantity of harvested beans. Remember: some harvests may not yield any coins! To harvest beans, follow these steps: Count the number of cards in the bean field you want to harvest. Check the Beanometer on the top card of the field to know how much gold you earn. Flip over a number of cards from that field equal to the amount of gold you earn (gold coin side up) and place them in your gold pile. Place the remaining cards from your field face up in the discard pile. After harvesting, that field must be empty – you cannot harvest only part of a field. The Bean Protection Rule: If there is only one bean in one of your fields, you cannot harvest it if you have another field containing more than one bean card. End of Game and Scoring The game ends when the draw pile runs out for the third time. If this happens during Phase 2 ("Turning and Trading Bean Cards"), complete Phases 2 and 3 of the turn (even if you can only turn one card instead of two), and then the game ends. At the end of the game, all players must harvest their remaining bean fields and receive the appropriate amount of gold. Cards in your hand do not count towards the total score. Count the cards in your gold pile – each card is worth one gold coin. The player with the most coins wins the game! In case of a tie, the tied player who is seated furthest from the starting player (counting clockwise) wins the game. Tips for Winning Manage Your Hand Wisely (or the lack thereof!): The order of cards in your hand is fixed, so plan your moves thinking about which beans will come first. Sometimes, harvesting a field early to make space for an "undesirable" bean can be crucial, even if it doesn't yield much gold. Trade, Trade, Trade! The trading phase is the heart of Bohnanza. Don't hesitate to offer beans that don't serve you for those you need to complete a field. Be creative in your offers and don't be afraid to ask for what you want! Remember that you can use cards from your hand for trading, not just the face-up ones. ## FAQ ### How long does a game take? About 45 to 60 minutes, depending on player count. With 7 players it can run a bit longer. ### How many players does it support? 2 to 7 — the base game supports 3 to 5, but the expanded edition and Al Cabohne-inspired rules allow 2 and up to 7. ### Is it hard to learn? Not at all. The rules are straightforward and you get the feel of the game after the first play. The depth comes from trading and decisions, not from rule complexity. ### What's in the box? Bean cards, coin cards, individual field boards, and rules. The Brazilian version includes the first expansion. ### Who is it for? Anyone who enjoys card games with lively negotiation. It works great with families, friend groups, and experienced players — everyone finds fun in it. ### Are there differences between editions? The base edition is for 3-5 players. The expanded edition adds rules for 2 and 7. There's also a Pocket version and a 2023 flower-themed edition. ### Can I play it solo? No official solo mode. The game relies entirely on player interaction and negotiation. ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **Amazon**: R$ 131,40 (https://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B0938BMK5F?tag=bgbot26b-20&linkCode=as2) - **PlayEasy**: R$ 102,21 (https://www.playeasy.com.br/bohnanza?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Orc Space**: R$ 104,16 (https://loja.orcspace.com.br/produtos/bohnanza-1b3jv/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Leão Livros**: R$ 106,85 (https://www.leaolivros.com.br/bohnanza-por-um-punhado-de-feijoes?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **TabuLoja**: R$ 107,91 (https://www.tabuloja.com/jogos-de-tabuleiro/jogos-base/bohnanza-expansao-feijao-curinga?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - **Caixinha Boardgames**: R$ 110,67 (https://www.caixinhaboardgames.com.br/produtos/bohnanza/?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/bohnanza-por-um-punhado-de-feijoes ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 12.89 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=4777609&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/670/bohnanza?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com