- BGG rank
- BGG #2,990
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Edel, Stein & Reich
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,987
- BGG rating
- 6.8
La Habana
2009
Rules assistance for La Habana
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.2/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for La Habana
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
La Habana is a board game released in 2009 for 2–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Reinhard Staupe and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
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About the game
In Havana you acquire victory points by constructing buildings, available as tiles displayed on the table. To take a building you must pay its requirements - some combination of money, workers and building materials. More difficult combinations yield more victory points. Furthermore, not all of the available buildings on the table are ripe for the taking, as only the ones on the right and left hand border of the 2 rows of buildings are available for selection. The game's core mechanic revolves around identical decks of 13 cards for each player, of which only 2 are played per round. But in addition to the card's function, the numerical combination of cards played is important (e.g. a card with a value of 3 and 4, result in the value 34) as the player with the lowest combined number acts first. So not only is the start player constantly changing, but it is also possible that a planned action cannot be taken, as another player has already used the same role. Not all roles are exclusive, so the turn order will also determine whether your "half of all pesos in the middle" is half of eight, or half of four (if a player before you played the same card). Some roles allow you to tax others or steal from them, and some cards defend against this, so it's not all just collecting pieces in a solitary manner. Some combinations require the presence of an architect, so you must choose whether to use one of your two card spots for him. Other cards add different twists. What and when to choose, who to hurt, and what you're aiming for, make up the game's main decisions. These different ideas make Havana its own game even if some of it is familiar. It's shorter and lighter than many similar games, as well.
Designers
Publishers
- Ghenos Games
- 999 Games
- Rio Grande Games
- Stupor Mundi
- Filosofia Éditions
- Lacerta
- 25th Century Games
- eggertspiele
- Evrikus
- Igiari
Questions and answers
La Habana supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for La Habana is 30–45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists La Habana for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
La Habana has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
La Habana belongs to these categories: Card Game and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Set Collection, and Simultaneous Action Selection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of La Habana are: Reinhard Staupe. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists La Habana as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.