Boitas - Designer Diary

About Boitas, from BoardGameGeek:

Boitas is a trick-taking game based on the famous sea traders from the Indian state of Odisha. The sea traders were famous for trading with countries such as Indonesia, China and Sri Lanka. Till today they are celebrated in Odisha during the Bali Yatra celebration. As you step into the world of Boitas, you don the mantle of these legendary Sadhabas (sea traders). Navigate the bustling ports, engage in lucrative trades, and bring back the exotic goods that will solidify your legacy as a master trader in the storied annals of maritime history. In Boitas, players aim to gather the most prestigious collection of imported goods and ships by the end of the game. Points are scored based on the value of these goods and ships, with the player accumulating the highest points emerging as the victor. Boitas is played in rounds, each consisting of four phases. The first three are Trading Phases, and the final phase is the Market Phase. In each Trading Phase, players take turns playing a Boita card from their hand, aiming to win the trick and claim the best Import Goods Token. The two best ranked cards are rewarded. Others gain Cowrie tokens. In turn order, Players can spend Cowries to draw additional Boita cards or acquire Elephant Boitas, enhancing their hand for future trading. Boita cards come in 4 standard suits - Rice (Yellow), Gems (Red), Betel (Green), Cloth (Blue). Within each suit, the cards are numbered from 0 - 9, representing the card's value. Additionally, there are 4 wild cards valued 0, and 4 cards of the Trunk suit or Elephant (Grey). Each Trading Phase is associated with a Port Number either 1, 2 or 3. Each Port Number has a Port card that indicates the suit placed for that trick. The best card to win a trick is the card with the same suit and Port Number. However, this winning card can be defeated by an Elephant card. An Elephant card can be defeated by a 4 of the suit that matches the Port card. All other cards follow standard trick-taking rules. The winner and runner-up of a trick gets to choose an Import Good in order. The losers gain a cowrie shell. The winner of a trick is the first player to start the next trick. During the Market Phase, the player with the most cowries starts. The game ends after three Trading Phases of the fourth round are completed. Players then score their points based on the goods they imported, points on the Boita cards in their hands, and remaining cowries. The player with the highest points wins.