Chinatown

Setup and goal: The base game is for 3–5 players and lasts six rounds, representing 1965 through 1970. The map has six districts and 85 numbered buildings. Each player chooses a color, takes ownership markers and a player aid, and receives $50,000 from the bank. Shuffle the building cards and put the shop tiles in the bag. The player with the most cash after six rounds wins.

Round order: Each round has six phases: deal building cards, draw shop tiles, trade, place shop tiles, earn income, and advance the year marker. The player aid gives the building-card deal, shop-tile draw, and income values for each player count and round. Use the row matching the current player count and year when carrying out the round.

Dealing building cards: The First Player distributes the number of building cards shown on the player aid. Each player receives the larger number in the table, chooses the smaller number to keep, and returns the rest to the deck for reshuffling. Players reveal their kept cards and place their ownership markers on the corresponding numbered buildings. The building cards are then removed from the game.

Drawing shop tiles: Beginning with the First Player and proceeding clockwise, each player draws the number of tiles shown on the player aid. Keep the tiles face down until everyone has drawn, then reveal them simultaneously. This reveals which shop types each player can offer and gives everyone information for planning the negotiation phase.

Trading: After the tiles are revealed, players may negotiate for buildings, shop tiles, and cash, and may combine different items in one deal. A building may change hands whether or not it already has a shop; update the building ownership marker when it is transferred. The rules impose no fixed prices or requirement that a deal be equal. A shop tile already on the map cannot be removed, though its ownership can be negotiated.

Placing shops and forming businesses: After trading, players take turns placing their shop tiles. You may place a tile only on an empty building that you own, and place one of your markers on the tile to show who owns the shop. Tiles of the same type and owned by the same player form a business only when they touch orthogonally; diagonal contact does not count. Same-type shops owned by different players count as separate businesses. The number on a tile is the maximum size for that shop type.

Earning income: Once all shop tiles have been placed, each player checks each business against the income table and collects cash from the bank. Income depends on the business size and whether it has reached that shop type's complete size. Small or incomplete businesses still pay, while a complete chain uses the table's higher complete-business amount. Evaluate different types and different owners separately; adjacent tiles with different owners cannot be combined for income.

Advancing the year and ending: After income is paid, advance the year marker one space. The next round brings another deal of building cards, a new draw of shop tiles, and another opportunity to negotiate. The game ends after the sixth round, when 1970 has been completed and all income is paid. Compare players' cash totals; the player with the most money wins.