The Island of Catan

A simple, interactive guide to learn the game in minutes

Catan base game board with hex tiles, number tokens, and harbors

What is Catan?

The 2-minute version of everything you need to know

🏝️ The Big Idea

You and your friends (3–4 players) are settlers on a new island. You collect resources, build roads and towns, and trade with each other. First player to 10 victory points wins!

🎯 Quick Facts

Players: 3–4 (6 with expansion)  |  Time: 60–90 min  |  Age: 10+  |  Goal: First to 10 VP

🃏 The 5 Resource Cards

Everything revolves around these five resources. You collect them from the land tiles next to your settlements.

🧱BRICKHills
🌲LUMBERForest
🐑WOOLPasture
🌾GRAINFields
⛏️OREMountains

🔄 The Core Loop

Every turn follows the same simple pattern:

1Roll dice — everyone collects resources
2Trade — swap with players or the bank
3Build — spend resources on roads, settlements, cities, or dev cards

Setting Up the Game

Get the board ready in a few minutes

📦 What's in the Box

🌲
19 Hex Tiles
The island terrain
8●●●●●
18 Number Tokens
Go on the tiles
🌾
95 Resource Cards
5 types × 19 each
⚔️
25 Development Cards
Knights + specials
Game Pieces
5 settlements, 4 cities, 15 roads each
ROBBER
2 Dice + Robber
Plus 2 special cards

🗺️ Build the Board

1Snap the 6 blue sea frame pieces together into a hexagon border
2Place 19 terrain tiles inside randomly (or use the beginner layout)
3Put number tokens on each tile (skip the desert). Standard method: place tokens in alphabetical order (A, B, C...) starting from a corner and spiraling inward — this is the official circular pattern
4Place the robber pawn on the desert tile
5Sort resource cards into 5 face-up stacks (the "bank"), shuffle dev cards face-down
SEA FRAME → → 69 ① Frame② Tiles③ Numbers

🏠 Place Starting Settlements

Each player picks a color and takes 5 settlements, 4 cities, and 15 roads.

P1 P2 ↕ Must be 2+ intersections apart (Distance Rule) = Settlement= RoadOn intersections & edges
Who goes first: Each player rolls both dice — highest roll goes first.
Round 1: Starting with the first player, each places 1 settlement + 1 road, going clockwise.
Round 2: In reverse order (last player goes first), each places their 2nd settlement + road. Collect 1 resource card from each tile touching your 2nd settlement.

Your Turn

Three simple phases every turn

1 Roll for Resources

Roll both dice and add the numbers together. Every terrain tile with a matching number token produces resources for all players who have a settlement or city touching that tile. Each settlement earns 1 resource card, and each city (an upgraded settlement — see Building tab) earns 2.

= 8 → 8 🌲 Everyone collects!

2 Trade

Propose trades to other players, or trade with the bank at 4:1. Harbors give better rates (3:1 or 2:1).

🌲 🌲 ⇄ ⛏️ Player trade → 🧱 Bank: 4 same → 1 any

3 Build

Spend resources to build. You can build as many items as you can afford! See the Building tab for costs.

⏭️ Then Pass the Dice

Pass dice left. Next player rolls — cycle continues!

Building

Spend resources to grow your settlement network

📏 Building Rules

Building is the third phase of your turn (after rolling and trading). You can build as many items as you can afford in a single turn — there is no limit as long as you have the resources and available pieces.

Distance Rule: Settlements must be at least 2 intersections away from any other settlement or city. This is the most important placement rule in the game.

Piece limits per player: 15 roads, 5 settlements, 4 cities. If you run out, you must upgrade a settlement to a city before building a new one.

🛤️ Road

0 Victory Points — expands your network
🧱 Brick
🌲 Lumber

Must connect to one of your existing roads, settlements, or cities. Only 1 road per edge. Roads are needed to reach new settlement locations and compete for Longest Road (2 VP for 5+ continuous segments).

🏠 Settlement

1 Victory Point — produces 1 resource per adjacent tile
🧱 Brick
🌲 Lumber
🐑 Wool
🌾 Grain

Must be placed on an intersection connected to your road network. Must follow the Distance Rule (2+ intersections from any other settlement or city). Each settlement produces 1 resource card when an adjacent tile's number is rolled.

🏙️ City (Upgrade)

2 Victory Points — produces 2 resources per adjacent tile
🌾 Grain
🌾 Grain
⛏️ Ore
⛏️ Ore
⛏️ Ore

You cannot build a city directly — you must upgrade an existing settlement. The settlement returns to your supply and can be placed elsewhere later. Each city produces 2 resource cards instead of 1 when adjacent tiles are rolled.

?CARD

🃏 Development Card

Special abilities or hidden Victory Points
🐑 Wool
🌾 Grain
⛏️ Ore

Draw the top card from the face-down development card deck. Keep it hidden. There are 25 total: knights, progress cards, and victory point cards. See the Development Cards tab for details on each type.

Trading

The heart of Catan is making deals

🤝 Domestic Trade (with Players)

On your turn, propose any trade to any player. If they agree, swap cards. Only the active player initiates trades.

Rules: No free gifts (you must receive something back). No trading development cards — only resource cards. You also cannot trade identical resources (e.g., 3 wheat for 1 wheat is not allowed).

🏦 Maritime Trade (with the Bank)

4:1DEFAULTGive 4 same typeGet 1 different type 3:1GENERIC HARBORGive 3 same typeGet 1 different type 2:1SPECIAL HARBORGive 2 of shown typeGet 1 different type

🔄 Combined Trade/Build Phase

Note: In the base game (5th Edition), you must complete all trading before building. However, many groups and the 6th Edition rules allow trading and building in any order during your turn. Check which version your group prefers before starting.

The Robber

What happens when someone rolls a 7

🦹 Rolling a 7

🦹 ROBBER 8 No resources! Also steal 1 resourcecard from adj. player?→😈

When a 7 is rolled, no one collects resources. Three things happen:

1Discard: Anyone with 8+ cards must discard half (rounded down)
2Move Robber: You must place the robber on a different tile — that tile is now blocked
3Steal: You must take 1 random resource card from a player adjacent to the robber's new tile (development cards cannot be stolen)
The blocked tile produces NO resources until the robber is moved again!

Development Cards

25 cards with powerful abilities — cost: 1 Wool + 1 Grain + 1 Ore

⚔️KNIGHT×14 🛤️ROAD BUILD×2 🎁YEAR PLENTY×2 💰MONOPOLY×2 ⭐VICTORY PT×5
⚔️ Knight Cards (14) — Most Common▼
Move the robber and steal 1 resource card from an adjacent player. Play 3 knights to claim Largest Army (2 VP). Another player needs more knights to take it.
🛤️ Road Building (2)▼
Place 2 roads for free. Must follow normal rules. Great surprise for Longest Road!
🎁 Year of Plenty (2)▼
Take any 2 resource cards from the bank for free. Same or different type.
💰 Monopoly (2)▼
Name a resource. Every other player gives you ALL cards of that type. Devastating when timed right!
⭐ Victory Point Cards (5)▼
Each worth 1 VP. Keep them secret! Reveal only when declaring victory. Can be revealed the turn you buy them if they win the game.

📜 Important Rules

When to play: You may play a development card before rolling for production, or at any time during your trading/building phase.

Play only 1 development card per turn (exception: Victory Point cards, which are revealed, not "played").

Can't play a card the same turn you bought it (exception: VP cards that give you 10+ points to win).

Development cards cannot be traded with other players.

How to Win

First to 10+ victory points on YOUR turn wins!

🏆 Victory Points Breakdown

Settlement1 VP City2 VP Longest Road2 VP ⚔️⚔️⚔️ARMYLargest Army2 VP ⭐VP Card1 VP

🎯 Track Your Points

Click circles to track VP. Reach 10 to win!

💡 Example Winning Combos

A: 3 settlements (3) + 2 cities (4) + Longest Road (2) + 1 VP card (1) = 10

B: 2 settlements (2) + 3 cities (6) + Largest Army (2) = 10

C: 4 settlements (4) + 1 city (2) + Longest Road (2) + 2 VP cards (2) = 10

Edge Cases & Tricky Rules

The weird situations that cause arguments — settled here

🦹 Robber: What if the player you target has no cards? ▼
You get nothing. You must still move the robber to a new hex and choose a player adjacent to it, but if that player has zero resource cards, you simply don't steal anything. You cannot choose to leave the robber in place — it must always move to a different tile.
🃏 Can I play a dev card the same turn I bought it? ▼
No — with one exception. Knight and progress cards (Road Building, Year of Plenty, Monopoly) cannot be played on the same turn you purchased them. The only exception: if you buy a Victory Point card and it gives you 10+ points, you can reveal it immediately to win.
🛤️ How does Longest Road break when someone builds a settlement on it? ▼
If an opponent builds a settlement on an intersection along your continuous road, it breaks your road. Your longest road is now the longer of the two segments on either side of that settlement. If this causes you to no longer have the longest road (at least 5), you lose the Longest Road card. If no one has 5+ roads after the break, the card is set aside until someone qualifies again.
🏠 What if I've built all 5 settlements? ▼
You must upgrade one of your existing settlements to a city before you can build another settlement. When you upgrade, the settlement piece returns to your supply and can be placed elsewhere on a future turn (following normal building rules).
🎲 What if the bank runs out of a resource? ▼
If there aren't enough resource cards in the bank to pay all players who are owed that resource, then no one receives that resource for that roll. Players who are owed other resource types from the same roll still collect those normally.
🤝 Can I trade on someone else's turn? ▼
No. Only the active player (the one who rolled the dice) can initiate and complete trades. Other players can propose offers to the active player, but they cannot trade with each other. Maritime (bank) trades can also only be done by the active player.
⚔️ Largest Army: what if two players tie? ▼
If you hold Largest Army, you keep it until another player plays more knight cards than you — not equal, more. A tie does not transfer the card. The same rule applies to Longest Road. Example: you have 3 knights and hold Largest Army. Your opponent also plays their 3rd knight. You keep the card — they need 4 to take it.
🏙️ Does a city count as a settlement for the Distance Rule? ▼
Yes. A city occupies the same intersection as the settlement it replaced. The Distance Rule still applies — no one can build a new settlement within 2 intersections of any settlement or city.
🎲 Can I play a Knight before rolling the dice? ▼
Yes! You can play a Knight card before your dice roll. This is actually a common strategy — move the robber off your tile before rolling, so you collect resources if that number comes up. You still cannot play a dev card you bought this same turn.
🔢 Rolling a 7: do you discard before or after moving the robber? ▼
Discarding happens first. The order is: (1) all players with 8+ cards discard half, (2) the active player moves the robber, (3) the active player steals one resource card from an adjacent player (dev cards cannot be stolen). This order matters because the discard may change who has cards to steal.
🏗️ Can I build a settlement on someone else's road? ▼
Yes, as long as your own road also connects to that intersection and the Distance Rule is satisfied. You don't need the other player's permission. This can also break their Longest Road!
🙈 Do I have to reveal how many cards I have? ▼
Yes — the number, but not the types. The quantity of resource cards in your hand is public information. If a player asks how many cards you have, you must answer honestly. However, you do not have to reveal which resources they are. Development cards in your hand are always kept hidden.
🏆 What if I reach 10 points on someone else's turn? ▼
You do not win yet. You can only win during your own turn. The game continues until it's your turn and you still have 10+ points. This can happen if, for example, someone takes Longest Road from you before your next turn.

📘 Official Rules Reference

This guide covers the most common rules and edge cases based on the Catan 5th Edition rulebook. For the complete official rules, including tournament-specific rulings, download the PDF from the publisher:

📄 Official Catan Rulebooks — catan.com

This is an unofficial fan-made guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Catan GmbH or Catan Studio.

Almanac

Searchable A–Z keyword reference — settle disputes mid-game

🏗️ Building▼
Building is the third phase of your turn (after rolling and trading). You may build as many items as you can afford in a single turn: roads, settlements, cities, or development cards. All pieces must follow placement rules. You cannot build more pieces than exist in your supply (15 roads, 5 settlements, 4 cities). The "first trade, then build" order is observed in the base game.
🏙️ City▼
A city replaces an existing settlement (costs 2 grain + 3 ore). It is worth 2 victory points and produces 2 resource cards from each adjacent hex when that number is rolled. You cannot build a city directly on an empty intersection — only upgrade. Max 4 cities per player. The replaced settlement returns to your supply.
🏜️ Desert▼
The desert hex produces no resources and has no number token. The robber starts the game on this hex. If you build a settlement adjacent to the desert, you gain nothing from that side. The desert is always part of the standard 19-tile board.
🃏 Development Cards▼
Cost: 1 wool + 1 grain + 1 ore. Draw from the face-down deck. There are 25 cards: 14 knights, 2 road building, 2 year of plenty, 2 monopoly, 5 victory points. You may play 1 dev card per turn (before or after rolling). You cannot play a card the turn you buy it (exception: VP cards that win the game). Dev cards cannot be traded or stolen. When the deck is empty, no more can be purchased.
✂️ Discard (Rolling 7)▼
When a 7 is rolled, every player holding 8 or more resource cards must discard half, rounded down (e.g., 9 cards → discard 4). Players choose which cards to discard. This happens before the robber is moved. The discarded cards return to the bank supply stacks.
📏 Distance Rule▼
You may only build a settlement at an intersection if all 3 adjacent intersections are vacant (no settlements or cities). This means there must be at least 2 road segments between any two settlements/cities. The Distance Rule applies during setup and throughout the game. Cities count the same as settlements for this rule.
⚓ Harbors▼
Harbors are on the coast (sea frame). To use a harbor, you must build a settlement or city on a coastal intersection connected to it. Generic harbors (3:1): trade any 3 identical resources for 1 of your choice. Special harbors (2:1): trade 2 of the shown resource for 1 of any type. Without a harbor, bank trades are 4:1.
🎬 Initial Placement▼
Who goes first: Each player rolls both dice — highest roll goes first. Round 1: Starting with the first player, each places 1 settlement + 1 adjacent road, clockwise. Round 2: In reverse order (last player goes first), each places a 2nd settlement + road. You receive 1 resource card from each hex adjacent to your 2nd settlement only. After setup, the first player begins the game and play continues clockwise.
⚔️ Knight Cards▼
Playing a knight lets you move the robber to any other hex and steal 1 random resource card (not dev cards) from a player adjacent to it. Knights can be played before rolling. Players do not discard when a knight is played (unlike rolling a 7). Playing 3+ knights and having the most earns you Largest Army (2 VP). Another player must play more knights (not equal) to take it.
🔢 Number Tokens▼
Each token has a number (2–12) on the front and a letter (A–R) on the back. Standard placement: start at any corner hex, place token "A" there, then continue alphabetically in a spiral pattern moving inward. Skip the desert (it gets no token). The dots printed beneath each number indicate probability — more dots means that number is rolled more often. Numbers 6 and 8 are printed in red because they're the most frequently rolled (after 7, which triggers the robber). For beginner games, use the fixed layout shown in the rulebook instead.
🛡️ Largest Army▼
The first player to have 3 or more face-up knight cards receives this card (worth 2 VP). If another player plays more knights than the current holder, they take the card. Ties do not transfer — you must exceed, not match. If the holder is somehow reduced below 3 (impossible in base game), the card stays with them.
🛤️ Longest Road▼
The first player to build a continuous road of 5+ segments receives this card (2 VP). Only the single longest branch counts (forks don't combine). An opponent's settlement on your road breaks it — recalculate from each side. If no player has 5+ after a break, the card is set aside. Another player must build a longer road (not equal) to take it.
💰 Monopoly▼
Name 1 resource type. All other players must give you every card of that type from their hand. If no one has that resource, you get nothing. This is one of the most powerful cards when timed correctly (e.g., after seeing players stockpile a resource through several rolls).
🃏 Resource Cards▼
There are 19 cards of each type (95 total): brick, lumber, wool, grain, ore. When a number is rolled, each player with a settlement adjacent to a matching hex gets 1 card; a city gets 2. The number of cards in your hand is public information; the types are private. If the bank runs out of a resource, no one collects that type for that roll.
🛤️ Roads▼
Cost: 1 brick + 1 lumber. Roads are placed on edges between hexes. Each road must connect to one of your existing roads, settlements, or cities. Only 1 road per edge. Max 15 roads per player. Roads are worth 0 VP directly, but enable settlement placement and contribute to Longest Road (2 VP).
🛤️ Road Building (Card)▼
Immediately place 2 roads for free following normal placement rules. If you only have 1 road left in your supply, you place just 1. These roads can count toward Longest Road immediately.
🦹 Robber▼
The robber starts on the desert. When activated (by rolling 7 or playing a knight), it must move to a different hex. While on a hex, that hex produces no resources. The player who moved the robber steals 1 random resource card (not dev cards) from any one player with a settlement/city adjacent to the robber's new hex. If that player has no cards, you get nothing. You cannot leave the robber on the same hex.
🏠 Settlement▼
Cost: 1 brick + 1 lumber + 1 wool + 1 grain. Worth 1 VP. Must be placed on an intersection connected to your road network, obeying the Distance Rule. Produces 1 resource from each adjacent hex when that number is rolled. Max 5 settlements. If all 5 are placed, you must upgrade one to a city before building another.
🤝 Trading (Domestic)▼
Only the active player can trade on their turn. You may propose any rate (e.g., 2-for-1, 1-for-1). Both parties must agree. You cannot give away cards for free, trade development cards, or trade with players on someone else's turn. There is no limit to how many trades you can make per turn.
🏦 Trading (Maritime)▼
Trade with the bank at fixed rates. Default: 4:1 (4 identical resources for 1 of any type). Generic harbor: 3:1. Special harbor: 2:1 for the shown resource only. You must have a settlement/city on the harbor to use its rate. Maritime trades can be done multiple times per turn.
🔄 Turn Order▼
Each turn has 3 phases in order: (1) Roll dice — all players collect resources from matching hexes. (2) Trade — domestic and/or maritime trades. (3) Build — spend resources to build. You may play 1 dev card at any point during your turn. After building, pass dice to the left.
🏆 Victory Points▼
First player to reach 10 VP on their own turn wins. Sources: settlement (1), city (2), Longest Road (2), Largest Army (2), VP development cards (1 each). You cannot win on another player's turn — if you reach 10 between turns, the game continues. VP cards are kept secret until you declare victory.
🎁 Year of Plenty▼
Take any 2 resource cards from the bank for free. They can be the same type or different. If the bank has only 1 card of a type left, you may still take it and choose a different type for the second card.

Dice Roller & Probability

Practice rolling and see which numbers come up most

🎲 Roll the Dice

Click "Roll" to simulate. Numbers closer to 7 come up most often!

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Rolls: 0

📊 Your Roll History

Roll the dice above and watch your personal distribution build up. Compare it against the theoretical probability!

Roll the dice to start tracking your distribution

📊 Theoretical Probability

More dots on a number token = more likely to roll. 6 and 8 are the best!

🧠 Strategy Tip

Place starting settlements next to 6, 8, 5, and 9 tiles. Avoid 2 and 12. A 7 triggers the robber instead of producing resources.