Chinatown FAQ
26 questions players ask · Updated Nov 11, 2026 · Full rulebook
Set-Up
Shop Tiles
- Can you keep a Shop tile you choose not to place, or must it be discarded?
- Do Shop tiles that touch only at corners form one business?
- Can you add a Shop tile to a building you do not own?
- Can you trade a building lot that already has a Shop tile on it?
- Can a Shop tile be moved or removed once it is on the board?
- Can you own two separate businesses of the same type that are not adjacent?
- Why are some Shop tiles left unused at the end, and is the distribution table wrong?
Playing the Game
- Are Shop tiles revealed all at once or one player at a time?
- How many Shop tiles do you draw each round, and can you return some?
- Can players trade Shop tiles before the reveal?
- Is the trading phase turn-based, with players trading one at a time?
- Are deals and promises binding in Chinatown?
- Can a deal include things from outside the game, such as food?
- Can you promise a future trade, such as a business you will acquire in a later round?
- Can you borrow money from another player during the trading phase?
- Should money cards be kept secret, or can players see each other's cash?
- Are unused Building cards reshuffled, or can you keep them for the next round?
- Do players place Shop tiles at the same time or one at a time in player order?
- If you pass during the placement phase, can you still place Shop tiles later in that phase?
- How is a business scored when its tiles exceed the maximum size?
- Do the numbers across the top of the income table show business size or rounds?
- How do the Business Outlook cards work in the original Alea edition?
- Do players collect income a second time after the sixth and final round?