
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,078
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Antwerpen
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2010

Rules assistance for Rotterdam: Masters of Trade
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rotterdam: Masters of Trade is an expansion for Rotterdam released in 2008 for 2–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Hans van Tol and its main mechanics are Trading and Point to Point Movement.
Masters of Trade is an economical boardgame. It is the expansion to the harbour game Rotterdam which increases control over the game for the players. Therefore the game is suitable for fans of the Rotterdam game and game lovers. The players need to choose out of 8 different roles and they may decide when to use these roles. They distinctive roles in Masters of Trade are: ship owner, captain, deck hand, discharger, trader, shipping agent, cashier and manufacturer. Added to the Rotterdam game are the product market and the commodities market, the harbour planning, factories and money pieces.
Rotterdam: Masters of Trade 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 Rotterdam: Masters of Trade is 90 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 Rotterdam: Masters of Trade 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.
Rotterdam: Masters of Trade has a complexity rating of 2.7 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.
Rotterdam: Masters of Trade belongs to these categories: Economic, Industry / Manufacturing, and Transportation. Its main mechanics are Trading and Point to Point Movement. 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 Rotterdam: Masters of Trade are: Hans van Tol. 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 Rotterdam: Masters of Trade as an expansion for Rotterdam. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Rotterdam to use it. Check that your edition of Rotterdam is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.