Catan board game: rules, strategy and review
Also known as: The Settlers of Catan, Die Siedler von Catan
How to play Catan: collect resources, trade with friends and build roads, settlements and cities to reach 10 points first. Rules in short, tips and review.
- Type
- Board game
- Players
- 3–4
- Age
- Ages 10+
- Play time
- 60–120 min
- First released
- 1995
- Designed by
- Klaus Teuber
- Publisher
- Kosmos
Catan is a trading and building game set on an island made of hexagonal land tiles. Each tile produces one resource: wood, brick, sheep, wheat or ore. Players build settlements on the corners of these tiles, and every turn the dice decide which tiles produce. Because the board is assembled differently each game, no two sessions feel the same. The heart of Catan is negotiation: you rarely have exactly what you need, so you must trade with other players, who are also your rivals. First published in Germany in 1995, Catan helped introduce a whole generation to modern board games and remains a common first step beyond classic family games.
Our verdict
Catan keeps every player involved on every turn, because dice rolls can give resources to anyone and trades need partners. It teaches basic economics in a natural way: scarce resources are worth more, and a good deal helps both sides. The changing board means you must read each map fresh, deciding which numbers and resources matter most. It is long enough to feel like an event but short enough for an evening. For many groups it becomes the game they return to when they want negotiation, friendly arguments and a bit of luck mixed with planning.
What works
- Every player is involved even on other turns
- Variable board gives high replay value
- Trading creates lively interaction
What does not
- Unlucky dice can leave a player with few resources for a long time
- Basic game does not support two players
How to play Catan
Each player starts with two settlements and two roads on the board. On your turn you roll two dice. Every tile showing the rolled number produces its resource for each settlement next to it, so all players may receive cards, not only the active player. Then you may trade: with other players on any terms you agree, or with the bank at four of one resource for one of another, or better rates if you own a harbour. Finally you spend resources to build. A road costs wood and brick; a settlement costs wood, brick, sheep and wheat; a city upgrade costs ore and wheat; and development cards give knights, extra points or special actions. A roll of seven moves the robber, which blocks a tile and lets you steal a card, and players with too many cards must discard half. Settlements give one point, cities two. The first player to reach 10 victory points on their turn wins.
Tips for new players
- Place your first settlements on numbers that are rolled often, such as 6 and 8, and spread them across different resources.
- Brick and wood are vital early for roads and settlements; ore and wheat matter more later for cities.
- Trade generously when the deal helps you more than it helps the leader.
- Do not hold more than seven cards when a seven might be rolled, or you will lose half of them.
Good for
Catan: common questions
How many players can play Catan?
The base game is for three or four players. Official extensions exist for five and six players.
How long does a game of Catan take?
Usually between one and two hours, depending on the number of players and how long trading takes.
What happens when someone rolls a seven in Catan?
No tile produces. Players with more than seven cards discard half, and the active player moves the robber and steals one card from a player next to its tile.
Catan belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
