What Chinatown Is
Chinatown is a negotiation game, published by Filosofia and Z-Man Games in its more recent editions, in which players trade buildings, shop tiles and money to build profitable businesses in a New York district. The theme describes immigrants arriving to buy buildings and establish businesses in the 1960s. The game has almost no fixed turn actions beyond placing tiles, so most of the play is conversation.
Goal
The player with the most money at the end of the sixth round wins, according to the rulebook summaries we found.
Setup
- Each player starts with a set amount of money, commonly given as $50,000, and the rest forms the bank.
- Each player takes markers in their color to mark ownership.
- Shop tiles go into a bag, and building cards are shuffled into a face-down deck.
- A year marker starts on the timeline, and the first player card goes to a player chosen by the rules.
Exact numbers depend on player count and edition, so check your rulebook and player aid card.
The Round Sequence
Each round follows the same sequence:
- Deal building cards.
- Draw shop tiles.
- Trade.
- Place shop tiles.
- Earn income.
- Move the year marker one space.
A player aid card says how many buildings and tiles each player receives per round.
Trading
Negotiation is the heart of the game. Players may trade buildings (with or without shop tiles), shop tiles and money, in any combination. The key limit is that once a shop tile is placed on the board, it stays there.
Placing Shop Tiles
Starting with the first player and going clockwise, each player places any number of shop tiles on buildings they own. Where you place a tile matters, because shops of the same type pay more when they are built next to each other.
Income and Complete Businesses
Income depends on the size of each business and whether it is complete. Each shop type has a size, stated as a number from 3 to 6, showing how many adjacent tiles complete it. Larger complete chains pay much more, so a trade that finishes a chain can be worth a great deal. One review offers an example where adding a single tile to a chain increased its payout substantially, though you should confirm real payouts against the income chart in your own rulebook.
Strategy Tips
- Watch what others need before you ask for it.
- Consider how many tiles of a type exist before building a large chain.
- Remember that money you hold is score, so do not overpay.
Related Reading
For other strategy games that reward planning, see our White Castle rules guide or our Parks rules overview.