Settlers of Catan for 2 players

I bet you’ve heard of Settlers of Catan. It’s that popular board game where you build settlements, trade resources, and try to be the first to reach 10 victory points. But did you know that you can play Settlers of Catan with only 2 players? That’s right, and today I want to tell you all about it.

Playing Settlers of Catan with just 2 players can be a bit tricky. Normally, the game is designed for 3 or more players, so you might be wondering how it works with only 2. Well, the answer is simple: you modify the rules a bit.

In a regular game of Settlers of Catan, you have a larger board and more resources to work with. But when playing with 2 players, you can use a smaller board and adjust the number of resources accordingly. This way, the game still retains its strategic element, but it becomes more intimate and intense.

When you play Settlers of Catan with 2 players, you have to be more mindful of your opponent’s moves. Every decision matters, and you have to constantly adapt your strategy based on what your opponent does. It becomes a game of cat and mouse, where each move can either help you or hinder your opponent.

Another important aspect of playing Settlers of Catan with 2 players is trading. In a regular game, you have multiple players to trade with, but with just 2 players, trading becomes more limited. You have to carefully consider your trades and negotiate with your opponent to get the resources you need.

So, if you’re looking for a new challenge or want to spend some quality time with a friend or loved one, I highly recommend trying Settlers of Catan with 2 players. It’s a different experience altogether, but one that can be just as enjoyable and satisfying.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a friend, set up the board, and dive into the world of Settlers of Catan for 2 players. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

There are a few different ways you and a friend can play Settlers of Catan. Let me share a couple of ideas with you:

How about this idea from Thomas A. Stobie?

Thomas came up with some rules that adapt the original rules for playing with just two players. You can use these rules for Settlers of Catan or Seafarers of Catan.

• Each player gets to use two colors.
• You won’t be trading with each other, only with the bank.
• You’ll need to get 20 Victory Points to win, but you can adjust that number for longer games.
• When you need to discard cards, the threshold will be increased to 9 instead of 7.

Or how about this idea from Ethan Sprang?

Ethan came up with a different twist. In this version, each player is only allowed to use one set of pieces.

You’ll be playing to 15 points in this version.

Oh, and one more thing – you won’t be able to trade resources directly with each other. You’ll only be allowed to trade at the ports.

Hey there! Let me break it down for you. When playing the game, we start by placing three settlements with roads. First, it’s Player “A”‘s turn, then Player “B” gets two turns, and Player “A” finishes it off. Each player gets resource cards for their last two settlements.

Guess what? Player “A” goes first and starts the game. Here’s how it works: after rolling the dice, the robber can’t come out for the first two turns. If a seven is rolled, we roll again.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. On each turn, players roll the dice twice to get resources. But if a seven is rolled (after those first two turns), we have to deal with the Robber. Players will have to discard half of their cards if they have more than eight cards in their hands.

And here’s some more strategic options for you. If a player rolls a seven on both of their rolls, on the second seven, they can choose not to move the robber again. Plus, they can decide to take any two free resources from the bank instead of taking a second resource from the other player.

The Dream of Playing Catan with Just Two Players

Hey there! Have you ever tried playing “the settlers of Catan”? It’s a super fun game, but here’s the thing: it’s usually designed for 3-4 players (or up to 6 with expansions). But guess what? People have been dreaming of playing it with just two players for a long time! I mean, it’s understandable, right? After all, the game became so popular that they even created a Catan card game just for two players!

Now, don’t get me wrong, the Catan card game is pretty awesome in its own way. But you know what? It plays quite differently from the original board game. And that’s not what true Catan aficionados are looking for.

But why is it so hard to make the board game work for two players? Well, my friend, there are two big reasons for that. First of all, the island is just too darn big for two! It’s like having this gigantic playground all to yourself. It can feel overwhelming, and it’s hard to create that same sense of competition and exploration.

When it comes to playing Settlers of Catan, there are so many possibilities for building and spreading that it becomes easy to avoid your opponent. As a result, the feeling of competition diminishes because each player can develop independently of the other.

Another issue with playing Settlers of Catan with only two players is that one of the most important aspects of the game, trading with fellow players, doesn’t work as well. In a normal game, two opponents have no motivation to trade. If they both benefit equally, no player gains an advantage. And if one player benefits more than the other, the trade won’t happen. This makes trading rather pointless.

But don’t worry, there is a solution to this problem! In this document, I will describe a successful variant of the Settlers game that works great with only two players.

Getting Started

To begin, you’ll need to gather the necessary materials. Take a look at the end of this document for a list of the commercial chips you’ll need.

These chips will be used by both players throughout the game, so make sure you have them ready.

Setting Up the Game

Let’s start by preparing the game according to the usual rules. Each player will receive two figure sets that were not chosen by the players. These sets belong to imaginary neutral players and should be placed next to the board. Lay out the commercial chips as well, making sure they are easily accessible. Each player will start with five of these chips.

Now, let’s place two settlements (without a road!) for the neutral players. You can refer to the illustration below to see where they should be placed. After that, both you and your opponent will create your own two starting settlements with accompanying roads, following the standard establishment rule.

The Way We Play

We play the game following the rules for 3-4 players, but with a few exceptions. Here’s how it goes:

1. Rolling the Dice

When it’s my turn, I get to roll the dice not once, but twice! (The neutral players don’t get to roll the dice at all.) The two numbers I roll have to be different. But if I happen to roll the same number twice, I have to roll the dice one more time. And if I roll a “7” in any of my throws, I have to move the Robber and take all the usual actions.

2. Building for the Neutrals

Every time I decide to build a road or a settlement, I also get to build one for one of the neutral players without paying anything. I get to choose which neutral player I want to build for.

When I play the game, I have to construct the same kind of neutral building as the one I made for myself. For example, if I built a settlement, I have to build a neutral settlement too. But there is one exception – if the placement rules don’t allow for a settlement to be built for either of the neutrals, then a road can be built instead.

If I decide to build a city or buy a development card, it doesn’t affect the neutral players in any way. Neutral settlements don’t receive any resources. However, it is possible for a neutral player to receive the “The longest road” card.

3. How to Spend Commercial Chips

On my turn, I can choose to do one of the actions I’ll describe now. And doing that action costs me one commercial chip if I have fewer victory points than the other players, or two chips if I’m in the lead.

Have you ever wondered what happens in a game when both players have the same number of victory points? It’s a tiebreaker situation, and it’s actually quite interesting. In this case, the action costs two coins. Here are the actions you can take:

First, there’s the obligatory trade. You can pull two resource cards from a fellow player and give them two resources in return. It’s a great way to help each other out.

Another action you can take is to chase away the robber. If the robber is causing trouble, you can put it back in the desert where it belongs.

4. Acquiring Commercial Chips

Now let’s talk about acquiring commercial chips. There are a few ways to get them:

First, if you place a settlement near the desert, you’ll receive two chips. This also applies during the establishment phase.

If you place a settlement on the coast, you’ll receive one chip. Again, this works during the establishment phase as well.

Finally, if you want to earn two chips, you can choose to disband a soldier. When you do this, you’ll need to discard one soldier card that you previously played.