Overview

Genoa (also known as The Traders of Genoa) is a negotiation and trading game set in Renaissance Genoa. One player each turn is the “merchant” who controls the Trade tower’s movement across the city board. Other players negotiate and pay the merchant to move the tower to buildings where they want to take actions. Players collect commodities, fulfill orders, deliver messages, acquire building ownership, and accumulate ducats. The wealthiest player at game end wins.

Components

• 1 game board (city grid with 18 buildings, streets, Market, and Park)
• 1 Trade tower (5 stackable discs)
• 1 round marker
• 2 eight-sided dice (1 red, 1 blue)
• 40 Commodity tiles (5 each of 8 types: pepper, saffron, silver, copper, linen, silk, ale, wine)
• 35 wooden Ownership markers (7 per player color)
• 27 special tiles (Starting space, Trade 1:1, Commodity of your choice, Building action, Extra action)
• 60 cards: 14 Contract, 14 Message, 16 Large order, 16 Small order
• 80 coins (5, 10, 50, and 100-ducat denominations)
• 1 first player marker, 5 player tiles

Setup

1. Place game board. Position round marker on the space matching player count.
2. Place special tiles and commodity tiles on their designated board spaces.
3. Each player chooses a color, takes player tile, places 7 Ownership markers on the board as shown.
4. Separate 60 cards by back into 4 face-down piles (Contract, Message, Large order, Small order).
5. Each player draws 1 card from each pile (4 cards total, kept secret).
6. Each player receives 130 ducats (2x5, 2x10, 2x50). Remaining coins form the bank.
7. Last person to visit a market is the permanent first player; takes the Trade tower, both dice, and first player marker.

Turn Structure

The game plays 6-12 rounds (depending on Market rolls). Each round has as many turns as players (each becomes the merchant once). Each turn has 4 phases:

Phase 1 — Determine Starting Space

The merchant rolls both dice. Blue = horizontal coordinate, Red = vertical coordinate. Place all 5 tower discs on the resulting space. If the Market is rolled (coordinates 4-4, 4-5, 5-4, or 5-5), move the round marker down one space (shortening the game).

Phase 2 — Movement / Actions / Negotiations

The merchant moves the tower orthogonally from space to space, leaving 1 disc behind on each visited space. Maximum 4 moves (5 total spaces including start). Rules:

• Each building/street/Market = 1 space
• No space visited twice per turn
• Merchant may stop early or stay on the starting space

Negotiations: Before each move, other players may offer goods (ducats, commodities, cards, tiles, markers) to the merchant in exchange for moving the tower to a specific space. The merchant may accept, counter-offer, or refuse. Offers cannot include future promises. Only the merchant and one other player can use each building’s action per turn.

Actions at buildings: When the tower visits a building, one player may take its action (see Actions section). The merchant takes one action; others must negotiate.

Special negotiation rule: When the tower lands on a building without a prior deal, other players may bid for the action. If at least one bid is made, the merchant must either accept or take the action himself. If no bids, the action goes unused.

Phase 3 — Acquire Buildings

Starting with the merchant, clockwise, each player with Ownership markers may:

1. Choose a street space with at least one tower disc
2. Place 1-2 Ownership markers on buildings orthogonally adjacent to that street
3. Remove the disc(s) from that street space

To remove an opponent’s marker: sacrifice one of your own markers (both return to general supply), then optionally place a new marker.

Ownership income: When another player uses a building you own, you receive 10 ducats from the bank. At game end, each placed marker = 10 ducats.

Phase 4 — End of Turn

After the last player’s turn in a round, move the round marker down. When it leaves the last space, the game ends after completing that round.

Actions

Building Actions

Building	Action
Guild Hall	Draw 1 Large order card
City Hall	Draw 2 Small order cards
Post Office	Draw 2 Message cards
Cathedral	Take 2 Ownership markers of your color
Palace, Park, Coach House, Harbor, Tavern, Inn	Take 1 corresponding special tile
Warehouses (Drinks, Metals, Fabric, Spices)	Take 1 of each commodity type in that category
Villas (Colini, Monetti, Ricci, Zasteri)	Take 1 Contract card OR deliver a Large order

Card Types

Card	Completion	Reward
Large Order	Take Deliver action at the designated Villa + return 3 Commodity tiles to supply	100 ducats + 1 special tile of choice
Small Order	Take the action of the building shown + return the matching commodity	40 ducats
Message	Tower must visit both buildings shown (in either order) during same turn	30 ducats
Contract	Revealed at game end; score based on adjacency of owned Contract buildings	10-150+ ducats (see scoring)

Special Tiles

Tile	Effect
Starting Space	Your turn only: choose starting space instead of rolling dice
Extra Action	Any player’s turn: gain an extra action at a visited building
Commodity of Your Choice	During your action: gain any 1 commodity
Trade 1:1	During your action: trade any 1 good for any 1 good
Building Action	During your action: perform the action of a building you own

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At game end:

1. Each Ownership marker on buildings = 10 ducats from bank
2. Reveal Contract cards: score based on adjacency groups

Contract scoring:

Adjacent Buildings	Ducats
1 (isolated)	10
2	30
3	60
4	100
5+	+50 per additional (5=150, 6=200, etc.)

1. Count all ducats. Wealthiest player wins. Tiebreaker: most goods (cards, commodities, special tiles).

Note: Cards, commodities, and special tiles have no value at game end (only Contract cards score).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• 2-player variant: Offers to the merchant must always include at least 1 good (not just ducats). The merchant gets 2 actions if the other player takes at least 1 action.
• The first player is the same throughout the entire game.
• Players keep ducats hidden (in hand or stacked).
• Small orders do not require using your action to complete — you just need to take the building’s action shown on the card (which can be negotiated to someone else visiting that building… no, you must be the one taking the action).
• Cannot deliver two orders at the same building in the same turn.
• Messages can be delivered in any building order; multiple messages can be delivered in the same turn.
• The Market space triggers the round marker moving down only when it’s the starting space (not when the tower passes through).
• The last round is always played completely, even if Market is rolled during it.

Player Reference

Turn Phases:

1. Roll dice -> place tower
2. Move tower (up to 4 moves), negotiate actions
3. Acquire buildings (place Ownership markers adjacent to disc-bearing streets)
4. End of turn (advance round marker if round complete)

Starting Money: 130 ducats per player

Key Payouts:

• Building ownership income: 10 ducats/use + 10 ducats at game end
• Large order: 100 ducats + 1 special tile
• Small order: 40 ducats
• Message: 30 ducats
• Contracts: 10-150+ ducats based on adjacency