How To Play: China

Overview

So, you want to win at China? Good choice! After too many late nights plotting, laughing, and maybe yelling at my friends, I’ve put together this guide. I’ll give you a quick outline of the rules—so you don’t embarrass yourself. You’ll also get all my best ‘How To Play china’ strategies for outwitting your opponents and claiming that glorious cardboard victory. Let’s make you a China champ!

What’s in the box

• 1 game board
• 100 houses (20 per player color)
• 40 emissaries (8 per player color)
• 5 scoring markers
• 1 rules booklet

How To Play China: Rules Summary

If you’re new and want to know how to play China, don’t worry—I was clueless once, too. Luckily, this game is easy to learn, and with these rules, you’ll impress your friends as the area control champion. Let’s get to it!

Game Setup

1. Lay the China game board flat. Try not to spill snacks on it—trust me, grease stains are forever.
2. Give each player a set of houses, emissaries, and a player screen in their chosen color.
3. Place all remaining pieces back in the box. No, Tim, you can’t make a tiny fortress with them.
4. Shuffle and deal out region cards. Each person gets three cards.
5. Decide who goes first. We usually choose the person who last ate Chinese food, but you do you.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, play one or two cards matching regions on the board.
2. For each card, place either a house or an emissary in the matching region.
3. You can’t place both in the same region on one turn. I tried, but the rules lawyer (hi Sarah) caught me.
4. Draw cards to refill your hand back to three. Always refill, or you’ll run out and just stare at your friends longingly.
5. Compete for control of regions by having the most houses. Or go wild and focus on emissaries for road points. There are options!

Winning

1. The game ends when one color runs out of houses/emissaries or the region card deck is empty. Usually, this happens right after I start to brag.
2. Add up points for controlled regions, connected roads, and emissary chains.
3. Whoever has the most points wins. Loser gets to shuffle for the next game, which is punishment enough.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If you can’t play any card, show your hand to prove it, then discard and draw three. Yes, you will be mocked.
2. You can only place emissaries in a region if there’s a road available. If not, tough luck.
3. Region ties: If two players have the same number of houses in a region, both score, but broken ties are rare—unless you’re playing with my friend Greg, who loves chaos.

And that’s it! Now you know how to play China. You can practice these rules, beat your friends, and brag about your area control skills. Just don’t forget to use the keyphrase ‘How To Play china’ when you tell others about it!

Best China Strategies

Mastering Area Control in China: Claim Your Territory!

Start Small, Think Big

1. Snag small regions early, since they’re less crowded and give quick points. I once snuck a win by grabbing two tiny areas nobody cared about!

2. Expand slowly. Jumping everywhere at once will only get you cut off and annoyed.

Block Opponents With Gusto

1. Always watch rivals. Sometimes, I win just by blocking that one friend who always overplans.

2. If someone’s about to score big, hem them in. They’ll grumble (sorry Dave!), but it works wonders.

Adapt and Overcome

1. If you lose a region, switch focus fast. My last game, I lost a city but scored big on roads instead—comeback of the year!

How To Play china isn’t just about grabbing land—it’s about knowing when and where to strike!

Mastering the Clock: Perfect Timing in China

If you want to win in China, you can’t just toss your pieces on the board and hope for magic. No, you need to think when to strike! After many heated games with my friends, I learned that timing can turn a losing game right around. Here’s how:

1. Wait for the Right Moment

1. Pounce when rivals are distracted by other regions.
2. Hold back when the risk is high, but leap in when a region is almost full.

2. Surprise Your Opponents

1. Play cards when no one expects it, shocking Dave just as he thought he had it.
2. Suddenly grab a lead in How To Play china by swooping in at the end.

3. Use Road Cards Wisely

1. Keep a few road cards in hand to place just before the region closes, catching everyone off-guard.

Trust me, if you time your moves right, your friends will call you The Strategist—and you might actually win!

Mastering the Art of Roads and Regions in China

If you want to win China, you have to balance your roads and regions. My friends learned this the hard way when I scored big on both and they just stared in disbelief. Here’s how you do it:

Choose Your Battles Wisely

1. Pick regions with fewer competitors. This keeps points coming your way without much fuss.
2. Never overcommit to one area. Spread out and keep options open.

Build Smart Roads

1. Connect cities that nobody else is eyeing. Trust me, sneaky roads pay off.
2. Time your placements so you don’t get blocked at the last minute. That happens to me way too often.

Balance Your Focus

1. If you’re leading in regions, start grabbing road points. Don’t let your friends catch up on the tracks.
2. Mix up your moves to keep everyone guessing and sweating.

Remember, How To Play china isn’t just about brute force—think, adapt, and laugh at your friends when you outsmart them!

Final Thoughts: Rule Like a Warlord

If you want to win at China, you need to be sneaky, bold, and maybe just a bit lucky. I found myself sweating through shirt after shirt as I blocked my buddy Dave from a big region, only for him to snatch all the roads when I blinked. So, always watch your rivals—especially the quiet ones—and don’t forget timing is everything!

Remember, balance your region grabs with clever road building, and keep an eye on the board. With these tips (and maybe a little bribery, if you play with my group), you’ll stand tall as the supreme strategist. Or at least, you won’t end up dead last!

Go on, gather your friends, review How To Play china, and see who comes out on top. But if you all lose to grandma again, don’t blame me!

Want to know what we think of China? Read our detailed review of China here