Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Send dice-workers across Qing-dynasty China to open bank branches, manage remittances, make loans, and build the wealthiest financial network.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Tile Placement
Place tiles to build a shared or personal spatial arrangement.
Worker Placement
Commit limited workers to action spaces before opponents occupy them.
Pick-up and Deliver
Use Pick-up and Deliver as a recurring structure for player decisions and resolution.
Read the full game description
Pingyao: First Chinese Banks is an economic worker-placement game set during the rise of China’s draft banks. Players assign dice as managers, establish agencies across the map, move silver between cities, make loans, cultivate talent, and cooperate with government officials. Deposits can earn interest, while an expanding branch network opens stronger remittance opportunities. Eight rounds reward the merchant who can keep cash moving without overextending. A separate solo challenge preserves the same timing and network puzzle for one player.
