San Juan

2004

Dive into San Juan, a captivating card game where players strategically construct buildings, utilize special powers, and manage resources, all while engaging in clever competition. Ideal for strategy game enthusiasts!

60
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Welcome to the captivating world of San Juan, a card game that transports you to the bustling city of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, during the Caribbean’s golden age of development and progress. As a player, you are immersed in the role of a colonial governor, and your decisions shape the growth and prosperity of this vibrant city.

San Juan presents a dynamic simulation of city-building, economic strategy, and resource management. The core mechanics of the game revolve around selecting roles, constructing buildings, and producing and trading goods. The game’s design offers a unique blend of strategic depth and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both newcomers and seasoned strategy gamers.

Each player’s turn in San Juan is defined by the role selection mechanic. Players choose from roles such as the trader, builder, producer, or prospector, each providing a specific benefit such as constructing buildings, producing goods, or gathering silver. The clever twist is that all players get to perform the action associated with the chosen role, but the player who selected the role receives an additional privilege, making strategic role selection critical to success.

Building a prosperous city in San Juan involves constructing a variety of buildings. The game features a range of building cards such as production buildings, which generate valuable goods, and violet buildings, which provide special abilities or end game bonus points. Constructing these buildings requires resources in the form of cards from your hand, adding a layer of strategic decision making as players must balance construction with maintaining a useful hand of cards.

Another unique aspect of San Juan is its trading system. Players can sell goods produced in their buildings to gain more cards, representing the wealth generated by commerce. However, deciding when to produce and when to trade is a crucial strategic choice, as producing goods might deplete the resources needed for constructing new buildings.

What sets San Juan apart from other games in the genre is its multi-use card system. In this game, cards represent buildings, currency, and goods, making every card in your hand a versatile tool. This mechanic demands strategic foresight and clever resource management, as players must make meaningful decisions about how to use each card.

San Juan is a game of strategy, balancing act, and city-building. Whether you’re a first-time player or an experienced gamer, the game offers an exciting and engaging experience of managing resources, planning strategies, and constructing a flourishing city. So gather your cards, select your roles, and prepare to journey into the heart of the Caribbean’s age of prosperity.

Read Less

Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

San Juan is a card game where players take on the roles of colonial governors on the island of Puerto Rico. The objective of the game is to amass victory points through the construction of buildings. Here are the components included in the game:

1. Role cards (5)

These cards represent the different roles players can take on during their turn. The roles include: Builder, Producer, Trader, Councillor, and Prospector.

Builder: Allows the player to construct a building by paying its cost in cards from their hand.
Producer: Allows the player to produce goods in one of their production buildings.
Trader: Allows the player to sell goods for cards.
Councillor: Allows the player to draw cards and keep one.
Prospector: Gives the player an extra card.

2. Building cards (110)

These cards represent the buildings that players can construct. Each building has a cost, a victory point value, and a special ability. The buildings are divided into production buildings (indigo, sugar, tobacco, coffee, silver), and violet buildings which provide special abilities.

3. Trading House

This component is used during the Trader role. It has four slots for the goods to be sold, and the goods are represented by the building cards placed face down.

4. Goods cards (5 types)

These cards represent the different types of goods that can be produced and sold. There are five types of goods: indigo, sugar, tobacco, coffee, and silver.

5. Indigo plants (12)

These cards represent the indigo production buildings. They produce indigo goods when the Producer role is selected.

6. Sugar mills (8)

These cards represent the sugar production buildings. They produce sugar goods when the Producer role is selected.

7. Tobacco storage (8)

These cards represent the tobacco production buildings. They produce tobacco goods when the Producer role is selected.

8. Coffee roaster (8)

These cards represent the coffee production buildings. They produce coffee goods when the Producer role is selected.

9. Silver smelter (8)

These cards represent the silver production buildings. They produce silver goods when the Producer role is selected.

10. Victory point chips

These are used to keep track of players’ victory points. Players gain victory points by constructing buildings and selling goods.

11. Rulebook

The rulebook provides the detailed instructions on how to play the game, including setup, gameplay, and scoring.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

San Juan is a card game where players take on the role of colonial governors on the island of Puerto Rico. The aim of the game is to produce goods and build buildings, with the player who earns the most victory points at the end of the game declared the winner. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up San Juan.

Step 1: Prepare the Cards

First, separate the cards into three piles. The first pile should contain the role cards, the second pile should contain the building cards, and the third pile should contain the six violet building cards used in the final round of the game. Shuffle each pile separately and set them aside.

Step 2: Distribute Initial Cards

Each player should start the game with four plantation (building) cards. Deal these cards to each player from the shuffled building card pile. Then, place five cards face-up in the center of the table to form the trading house.

Step 3: Arrange Role Cards

Place the role cards in a circle in the middle of the table. Make sure all players can easily reach them. The role cards include the Trader, Builder, Councillor, Producer, and Prospector.

Step 4: Prepare the Supply

Set aside the remaining building cards to form a draw pile, and turn over the top card of the pile to start the discard pile. Additionally, set aside the six violet “end of game” building cards. These will be used at the end of the game.

Step 5: Determine the Starting Player

The starting player is chosen randomly. Give this player the Governor card. The Governor card will be passed around clockwise at the end of each round.

Step 6: Start the Game

The game begins with the starting player (the Governor) selecting a role card from the circle. Each player, in clockwise order, takes a turn corresponding to the selected role. After all players have taken their turn, the role card is returned to the circle and the next player selects a role. This continues until all role cards have been selected and the round ends.

Step 7: End of Round

At the end of the round, the Governor card is passed to the next player clockwise. All role cards are returned to the center, and a new round begins.

Game flow Round and round we go

San Juan is a strategy card game where players are building their own city in Puerto Rico. The game is divided into several rounds, each consisting of different phases. The game continues until one player has constructed 12 buildings in their city, at which point the game ends and scores are tallied. The player with the most victory points wins the game.

The structure of a game of San Juan is as follows:

Starting the Game: Each player begins with a set of 4 indigo plants in front of them as well as a hand of 4 cards. The player who last visited Puerto Rico (or by random if no one has been) is the governor and starts the game.
Round Structure: Each round consists of each player choosing a role card and taking the corresponding action. The roles and actions are as follows:

Builder: The player who chooses the builder role can build a building by paying the cost in cards from their hand. All other players may also build a building but must pay an additional card.
Producer: The player who chooses the producer role can produce goods in one of their production buildings. All other players can also produce goods but in one less building.
Trader: The player who chooses the trader role can sell one of their goods for cards. All other players can also sell a good but receive one less card.
Councilor: The player who chooses the councilor role can draw 5 cards from the deck and keep one. All other players can draw 2 cards and keep one.
Prospector: The player who chooses the prospector role draws a card. No other player takes an action.

End of the Round: At the end of the round, the governor title passes to the player on the left and a new round begins with new role selection. Players must also discard down to their building hand limit, if necessary.
Scoring: When one player has built 12 buildings, the game ends. Players add up the victory points from their buildings, and any bonuses from special buildings. The player with the most points wins.

Understanding each phase and action in San Juan is key to formulating a winning strategy. The balance between building, producing, and trading goods, along with the wise choice of roles, will lead a player to victory.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the game of San Juan, each player’s turn consists of several possible actions and strategic choices. The player can choose to construct a building, produce goods, or take a role card. The choice of action can greatly affect the gameplay and the player’s strategy.

Construct a Building

The player has the option to construct a building by paying the cost in cards from their hand. The cost of each building is shown on the card. Buildings provide various benefits that can help the player in different ways:

Production Buildings: These buildings allow the player to produce goods. The type of good each building produces is shown on the card.
Violet Buildings: These buildings provide special abilities that can give the player significant advantages.

Produce Goods

The player can choose to produce goods if they have the necessary production buildings. Each production building can produce one good per turn. The goods can be sold for cards or used to construct buildings.

Take a Role Card

The player can also choose to take a role card. This allows the player to perform a special action on their turn. The role cards include the Builder, Producer, Trader, Councillor, and Prospector:

Builder: Allows the player to construct a building for one card less than its normal cost.
Producer: Allows the player to produce one additional good.
Trader: Allows the player to sell one additional good.
Councillor: Allows the player to draw more cards and keep one.
Prospector: Allows the player to draw one card.

Each role card also gives a special privilege to the player who chose it, providing additional strategic choices.

The choice of action during a player’s turn in San Juan depends on their current situation and strategy. A player might choose to construct a building to gain its benefits, produce goods to gather more cards, or take a role card to perform a special action. The choice of action can greatly affect the gameplay and the outcome of the game.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of SanJuan ends when the governor, in his or her turn, has to draw from an empty supply stack. This is an indication that the game is in its final round. After this, every player, including the governor, plays one last round and then the game ends.

Victory Conditions:

In San Juan, victory is determined by the number of victory points a player has accumulated over the course of the game. A player earns victory points through the buildings they have constructed. Each building card has a number in the upper left corner, which represents its victory point value. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Before final scoring, players must take the following actions:

Count the number of victory points on their building cards: Each player adds up the victory points from all their building cards, including any that are still in their hand.
Check for any bonus points from special buildings: Some buildings, like the Monument and the Cathedral, offer bonus points. Players should add these to their total victory points.
Count leftover goods and cards: Players do not earn points from leftover goods or cards in their hand. These are discarded before final scoring.

After these actions are taken, the player with the highest number of victory points is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most production buildings wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the most buildings wins. If a tie still remains, the player who is furthest clockwise from the governor wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the game of ‘San Juan’, the scoring system is based on the buildings that players have constructed throughout the game. Each building has a point value assigned to it, which is displayed on the card. At the end of the game, these points are totaled to determine each player’s final score.

Points awarded:

Production Buildings: These are the violet-colored buildings. Each has a point value ranging from 1 to 5. The player receives points equal to the value indicated on the building card.
Civic Buildings: These are the orange-colored buildings. They also have a point value ranging from 1 to 6. Like production buildings, players receive points equal to the value shown on the card.
Special Buildings: These are the purple-colored buildings. Not only do they provide points as indicated on the card (ranging from 2 to 8), but they may also give additional points based on certain conditions. For example, the ‘Guild Hall’ gives 2 points for each production building the player has.
Chapel: This special building allows players to place cards under it throughout the game. At the end of the game, each card under the chapel counts as an additional point.

Tie-breaking rules:

If two or more players have the same score at the end, the tie-breaking rules are applied:

The player with the most cards in hand plus goods on production buildings wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who is earlier in player order wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

San Juan is a popular card game based on the board game ‘Puerto Rico’. The game involves players taking roles, building buildings, and producing and selling goods. Despite its straightforward gameplay, there are some special rules and exceptions that players need to be aware of.

Role Selection:

Players take turns choosing roles, but once a role has been chosen, it cannot be chosen again in the same round. The player who chooses the role gets a special privilege associated with it.

Chapel Card:

The Chapel card is unique in that it allows players to save a card under it at the end of each round. These saved cards count towards victory points at the end of the game. However, once a card is placed under the Chapel, it cannot be removed or used for any other purpose.

Trading:

Unlike many games, trading between players is not allowed in San Juan. All transactions are conducted with the bank.

Building Limit:

A player cannot have more than 12 buildings. This includes production buildings, violet buildings, and the Palace. If a player reaches this limit, they cannot build any more buildings for the rest of the game.

Production:

Only one good can be produced per production building. For example, if a player has two Indigo plants, they can only produce one indigo, not two. However, the Factory owner may produce more than one type of good.

Card Limitations:

Some cards have limitations. For example, the Smithy allows a player to draw three extra cards when they choose the Builder role, but this only applies once per round, regardless of how many Smithies the player has.

End Game:

The game ends at the end of the round in which at least one player has 12 buildings in their city. All players then add up their victory points from their buildings and any bonus cards. The player with the most victory points wins. In case of a tie, the player with the most cards left in hand wins.

Rule Clarifications:

The Library card’s benefit (allowing you to use the privilege of a role chosen by another player) does not apply when you are the one who chose the role.
When a player uses the Carpenter’s special ability to build a building, the building does not have to be the one they drew with the Carpenter’s ability.
The Tower card does not allow you to exceed the 12 building limit. It only protects you from the effects of the Displacer.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies

Building Selection: One of the most crucial aspects of San Juan is choosing which buildings to erect. While it might be tempting to go for the big point buildings, don’t neglect the smaller ones. Buildings like the Chapel or Library that have ongoing effects can be very beneficial in the long run.

Role Selection: Always aim to select roles that will benefit you the most, even if they might also aid your opponents. For example, choosing the Trader when you have a lot of goods can give you a significant cash boost, even if it allows others to sell as well.

Beginner Tips

Master the Basics: Understanding the roles and their advantages is key to getting a good start in San Juan. Pay attention to the specific benefits each role provides and how they can be used to further your strategy.

Plan Ahead: Try to anticipate which roles your opponents might select and plan your moves accordingly. If you think someone will choose the Councillor, for example, you might want to hold onto a card you can use as a building instead of discarding it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring Production Buildings: Some beginners tend to focus too much on buildings that give victory points and ignore the production buildings. However, these are vital as they are the primary source of goods, which you can sell for more cards.

Not Utilizing the Chapel: The Chapel allows you to secure cards (which are points) that cannot be lost. It is a common mistake to underutilize this building. Make sure to take advantage of this throughout the game.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Always keep an eye on your opponents’ tables. This will help you make better decisions when choosing roles and buildings.
Remember that each card in your hand can be used as currency to build other cards. If you have cards that don’t suit your current strategy, consider using them as money instead of holding onto them.
Make use of the privilege each role provides. Remember, the player who chooses the role gets a special benefit, so select roles that will advance your strategy the most.