
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,793
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Ka-Ching!
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2001

2009
Rules assistance for Trader
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Trader is a board game released in 2009 for 2–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Horst-Rainer Rösner and Klaus Palesch and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Team-Based Game, and Open Drafting.
Your objective: to invest in different economic categories and earn the maximum money from your actions. Buy them at low prices to resell them in pairs in the same category, multiplying your profits. But take care to also upset your opponent's profit plans. Re-implements Ka-Ching!
Trader 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 Trader is 15 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 Trader 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.
Trader has a complexity rating of 1.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Trader belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Team-Based Game, and Open Drafting. 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 Trader are: Horst-Rainer Rösner and Klaus Palesch. 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 Trader 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.