Colorado County

About this board game

Colorado County is a board game for 2–4 players that takes about 60 minutes to play. Players buy plots of land on a large, grass-covered board, then compete to place control markers in valuable positions.

At the beginning of each round, twelve placement markers are arranged in a random-like pattern. Players simultaneously bid for cards showing where their control markers may be placed. Only three cards are available, so only the three highest bidders receive a placement opportunity.

Bidding is constrained by a limited supply of cowboy tiles. These tiles are replenished only when a player bids lowest or zero—missing out on a card and its placement—or sells an owned plot. Since there are only four or five sales during the game, deciding when to spend, save, or recover cowboy tiles is central to play.

• Buy plots and place control markers on the positions indicated by cards.
• Bid simultaneously for one of just three available cards.
• Manage cowboy tiles, with limited opportunities to replenish them.
• Adapt to scoring priorities that change across four rounds.

The value of owned plots changes with the timing of the game. Early scoring emphasizes border plots, while later rounds place greater value on controlling lakes and creating large masses of tokens. Because scoring values vary considerably over the four rounds, Colorado County asks players to respond to changing opportunities rather than rely on one fixed plan.

Released in 1998, this game combines land purchases, simultaneous bidding, positional control, and tightly limited bidding resources into a contest where every placement and sale can affect the rounds ahead.