Negotiation Mechanics in Board Games Explained

Negotiation mechanics in board games bring player interaction to the forefront, allowing for trades, alliances, and strategic decision-making. Unlike games driven by luck or rigid rules, these mechanics rely on persuasion, trust, and communication to shape outcomes. Here's what you need to know:

• Core Idea: Players negotiate deals, trade resources, form alliances, or even betray agreements to achieve their goals. This creates unpredictable and dynamic gameplay.
• Key Components:
  • Player Agency: Freedom to make impactful decisions.
  • Trust: Essential for forming agreements, but betrayal is always possible.
  • Mutual Benefit: Both sides gain from deals, though not always equally.
  • Communication: Clear offers and persuasion are critical.
• Examples:
  • Catan: Resource trading drives progress.
  • Chinatown: Open deal-making creates a lively marketplace.
  • Cosmic Encounter: Alliances shift constantly, blending negotiation with tactical battles.
• Types of Negotiation:
  • Exchange Negotiation: Focused on trading resources (e.g., Catan).
  • Social Negotiation: Involves alliances and persuasion (e.g., Cosmic Encounter).
  • Principled Bargaining: Balances internal goals with external agreements (The King's Dilemma).

Negotiation mechanics thrive on human behavior, making every game session unique. Whether you're trading resources or managing alliances, mastering negotiation adds depth and excitement to gameplay.

What Are Negotiation Mechanics?

Definition and Basic Concepts

Negotiation mechanics are game systems where players interact through trading, coordinating actions, and forming agreements to achieve their objectives. Unlike mechanics based on luck, negotiation relies on conversation and deal-making, giving players more control over the outcome.

What makes negotiation mechanics so compelling is their unpredictability, which comes from human behavior rather than random chance. You can’t always anticipate how another player will react to an offer - it depends on their personality, their position in the game, and the level of trust between players.

Games integrate negotiation mechanics in different ways. For instance, in Root, the Riverfolk Company faction uses negotiation as a secondary mechanism by revealing its hand and setting prices for services. Some games explicitly include negotiation in their rules, while others let it emerge naturally as players find ways to collaborate creatively.

At its core, negotiation mechanics are built on a dynamic framework with several key components.

Core Components

Negotiation thrives on four main elements: player agency, trust, mutual benefit, and communication.

• Player agency gives players real freedom to make impactful deals. In Sidereal Confluence, for example, players can propose almost any kind of trade, encouraging creative and meaningful exchanges. Limiting this freedom weakens the mechanic's potential.
• Trust is the backbone of every negotiation. Players need to believe that others will uphold their agreements - or at least weigh the risk of betrayal. Group dynamics and personal relationships heavily influence this. For instance, friends might negotiate differently than strangers.
• Mutual benefit is what brings players to the table. Both sides need to gain something from the deal, even if the benefits aren’t equal. A great example is Bohnanza, where players can’t rearrange the cards in their hand, forcing them to negotiate trades that help both parties.
• Communication ties everything together. To negotiate effectively, players need to clearly present their offers, explain their reasoning, and persuade others.

These components interact with three overarching factors that shape negotiations: information, time, and power. Information involves understanding what others need and what resources are available. Time reflects a player’s investment in the game - those who’ve spent more time are less likely to break agreements. Power, both real and perceived, shifts as players gain resources or form alliances.

What makes negotiation mechanics so engaging is their layered complexity. You’re not just negotiating with other players - you’re also negotiating with the game itself. Every decision, whether it’s taking a risky action or playing it safe, is a negotiation with the odds. As you observe which strategies opponents are using or which cards have been played, you can adjust your approach to tip the balance of power in your favor. This multifaceted system is why negotiation mechanics stand out as some of the most captivating elements in board gaming.

9 Games with Alliances, Trading, & Negotiation

Types of Negotiation Mechanics

Negotiation mechanics in board games come in different forms, each offering its own flavor of strategy and interaction. By understanding these mechanics, you can better anticipate the social dynamics a game demands and refine your approach.

Exchange Negotiation

This type of negotiation revolves around straightforward, transactional trades. It’s all about clear communication and resource exchange, where players negotiate for mutual benefit.

Take Settlers of Catan, for example. Resource scarcity drives players to trade - maybe you have plenty of wheat but desperately need ore to build a city. These trades create a dynamic marketplace where strategic needs dictate the flow of resources.

In Chinatown, the game mimics the hustle of a marketplace, with players negotiating deals that could involve property deeds or even future promises. Meanwhile, Bohnanza introduces an interesting twist: players can’t rearrange their hands of cards, forcing them to negotiate strategically to avoid penalties and maximize points.

Then there’s Sidereal Confluence, which takes things to another level. Almost everything in the game - planets, ships, food, protection - can be traded, and agreements are binding, making for complex, fast-paced interactions.

Exchange negotiation thrives in games with clear victory conditions, where players can easily assess the value of trades within a structured rule set.

Social Negotiation

Social negotiation steps beyond resource exchanges to focus on persuasion, alliances, and trust. Here, the human element takes center stage - how players interact can change the game’s direction entirely.

Cosmic Encounter is a prime example. Players can form alliances and make binding promises, but staying adaptable is key as alliances shift and strategies evolve. In Sheriff of Nottingham, negotiation blends with bluffing and bribery. Players try to sway the Sheriff or outsmart opponents, making every interaction a mix of strategy and personality.

Root adds a layer of social negotiation through its Riverfolk Company faction. This group sets prices for services like military support, prompting other players to negotiate terms that suit their goals.

Social negotiation shines in games where interpersonal dynamics can alter outcomes, making every playthrough feel unique.

Principled Bargaining

This advanced style of negotiation focuses on finding mutual benefits while juggling complex strategies. Players must align their internal goals with external deals, balancing multiple objectives before committing to agreements.

In games with multiple paths to victory, players first decide on their own priorities, then negotiate with others to complement their strategies. Some games even structure this process with rules about when and with whom negotiations can happen, keeping things balanced.

The King's Dilemma is a great example. Its legacy system combines role-playing, kingdom politics, and auction voting, requiring players to think long-term. Every negotiation impacts future sessions, adding weight to each decision.

In Lords of Vegas, players negotiate partnerships for casino ownership, blending resource trading with dice rolls and area control. The randomness of dice adds an unpredictable element, making negotiations even more strategic.

Principled bargaining works best in games where trailing players can use unique assets - like critical information or blocking power - to stay competitive. This setup lets underdogs challenge leaders, rewarding players who balance urgency with opportunity.

Blended Styles

Many games mix these negotiation types to create richer experiences. Rising Sun, for instance, combines social negotiation through alliances with exchange negotiation via resource management and area control. Understanding which negotiation style dominates can help you craft a winning strategy.

These varied approaches to negotiation highlight how board games use social and strategic interactions to create engaging, layered gameplay. Whether you’re trading resources, forming alliances, or balancing long-term goals, mastering these mechanics can make every game more rewarding.

Games That Use Negotiation Mechanics

Negotiation mechanics come to life when you see them in action. Here are some standout examples that showcase how negotiation can shape gameplay in various ways.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is built entirely around negotiation. Every move hinges on discussions, forming alliances, and striking territorial agreements. The game thrives on conversations where your words can be just as impactful as your actions.

The twist? None of these agreements are binding. This creates a constant undercurrent of tension - you can break a promise at any time. Players must weigh short-term tactical advantages against the long-term consequences of their reputation. Honoring agreements builds trust, making future negotiations smoother, while frequent betrayals can leave you isolated and vulnerable.

Reputation becomes a powerful currency in this game. Trust and credibility are key to navigating the intricate web of alliances and betrayals. Sessions typically last 4 to 8 hours and accommodate 2 to 7 players. In Diplomacy, you’re not just moving pieces on a board - you’re managing relationships, reading personalities, and mastering the art of persuasion.

If Diplomacy is all about political intrigue, Chinatown shifts the focus to pure deal-making.

Chinatown

Unlike the alliances and betrayals of Diplomacy, Chinatown strips negotiation down to its bare essentials: making deals. Players trade properties to build profitable businesses, with no combat or hidden information - just open bargaining and strategy.

What sets this game apart is its complete freedom in negotiation. Players can trade property lots, business tiles, and cash in any combination, creating a bustling, real-time marketplace. Multiple negotiations happen simultaneously, making every moment feel dynamic and unpredictable.

"In Chinatown, the real fun comes from figuring out how to wring lot 43 from an opponent's grasp or realizing how desperately your neighbor wants your dim sum tile"

This freedom creates leverage. If another player needs a specific property to complete their set, you gain significant bargaining power. Success hinges on recognizing value, timing your offers, and knowing when to push or pull back. With 3 to 6 players and sessions lasting 45 to 60 minutes, Chinatown delivers a fast-paced, deal-focused experience.

While Chinatown thrives on trading, Cosmic Encounter blends negotiation with intergalactic conflict.

Cosmic Encounter

Cosmic Encounter takes negotiation into outer space, combining it with tactical battles. Players form temporary alliances during encounters, deciding whether to support or oppose each other’s attempts at expansion. Unlike the deep, long-term strategies in Diplomacy or the pure deal-making of Chinatown, this game uses negotiation to shape immediate tactical outcomes.

Agreements are non-binding, so promises can be broken at any moment. This keeps players on their toes, forcing them to carefully evaluate the risks and rewards of every deal. Alliances shift as the game progresses - today’s rival could be tomorrow’s ally, making it essential to adapt to changing dynamics.

With 2 to 5 players and sessions lasting 60 to 90 minutes, Cosmic Encounter shows how negotiation can add a social layer to conflict resolution. While players compete for planetary domination, their ability to negotiate often determines how battles unfold.

These games highlight the many ways negotiation mechanics can shape gameplay. Diplomacy immerses players in political intrigue, Chinatown focuses on high-stakes trading, and Cosmic Encounter blends negotiation with tactical strategy, creating a rich and varied gaming experience.

sbb-itb-1ed942f

How to Design Negotiation Mechanics

Designing negotiation mechanics for a game is all about finding the sweet spot between giving players freedom and maintaining a structured experience. The goal is to make negotiations feel impactful without bogging down the game's flow.

Design Considerations

Start by defining what players can negotiate - things like resources in Catan or tiles and money in Chinatown. These elements create clear paths for negotiation. While adding more options can make interactions richer, too many choices can lead to "analysis paralysis", where players spend too much time deciding, slowing the game down.

Negotiation rests on three key factors: information, time, and power. Information involves understanding what others need. Time reflects how much effort players are willing to invest, often influencing their level of commitment. Power shifts as resources and positions change, adding a dynamic layer to the process.

The amount of freedom you allow in negotiations also shapes the experience. Games like Chinatown give players near-total freedom, enabling creative deals. Another example, Sidereal Confluence, shows how unrestricted trades - like swapping planets for ships or food for research - can lead to intricate, emergent trade networks. On the flip side, games like Bohnanza limit freedom by using "locked hand card play", where players can't rearrange their cards. This restriction forces players to negotiate strategically to manage their hands.

You’ll also need to decide between binding and non-binding agreements. For example, Zoo Vadis distinguishes between trades that must be honored immediately and those based on future promises. Most games benefit from a mix of both, but it’s crucial to spell out these rules clearly to avoid confusion.

Timing plays a big role in keeping negotiations balanced. Restricting negotiations to specific phases or turns can prevent them from dragging on. For instance, real-time negotiation in Chinatown creates a lively, fast-paced marketplace vibe, while turn-based negotiation allows for more calculated strategies. Ideally, negotiations should take up no more than 20–30% of the total playtime. Playtesting is essential to fine-tune this balance.

Creating Player Interaction

Once the basics are in place, focus on player interactions to make your negotiation mechanics shine. Negotiation thrives when players are both interdependent and at odds. To achieve this, distribute resources and advantages unevenly so that players must rely on each other to meet their goals. For example, in Catan, a "kingmaker" dynamic often arises when one player controls key resources late in the game. This creates tension and drives last-minute deals.

Asymmetric player abilities can also encourage negotiation by creating varied needs and bargaining positions. Take Root's Riverfolk Company faction: the otters openly display their hands and set prices for their services. This transparency fosters targeted deals and strategic planning.

Adding alliance and betrayal mechanics can deepen the experience further. Allowing players to form and break alliances introduces an element of unpredictability, forcing everyone to reassess trust constantly. However, betrayal should come with meaningful consequences - like losing points, resources, or future opportunities to negotiate.

To avoid one player dominating negotiations, distribute power unevenly and give weaker players tools to counterbalance stronger ones. Features like veto mechanics or voting systems can ensure decisions require broader consensus rather than unilateral control.

Incorporating hidden information, such as concealed hands or scoring tracks, adds tension by making players weigh cooperation against self-interest.

Finally, decide how central negotiation will be to your game. In Chinatown, negotiation is the core mechanic - every deal directly impacts the score. In contrast, Root uses negotiation as a secondary feature that complements its primary focus on area control, adding an extra layer of strategy.

Player Strategies for Negotiation

To excel at negotiation in board games, you need to master the art of reading your opponents, timing your moves, and striking the right balance between working together and competing. These skills come into play in various negotiation-heavy games, whether you're trading resources or forging alliances.

Building Trust and Credibility

Your reputation is a powerful asset in any negotiation. When you consistently honor your deals, other players are more inclined to collaborate with you in the future. This creates a snowball effect: a trustworthy player often receives better offers and more favorable terms because others feel confident they won't be taken advantage of.

Take a game like Catan. If you're known for keeping your word, players will be more eager to trade resources with you. On the flip side, breaking promises can leave you isolated. Once players see you as unreliable, they’ll likely shut you out of future deals, making it harder to gain an edge.

That said, maintaining credibility doesn’t mean you can never break a deal. Sometimes, a well-timed betrayal can work to your advantage - especially if the immediate benefits outweigh the potential loss of trust. But this should only be done in specific scenarios, like when the game dynamics shift significantly, when sticking to the agreement would lead to your downfall, or when breaking the deal changes the game so drastically that it’s worth the risk.

In games where agreements are binding, like Sidereal Confluence, trust management becomes even more critical. Here, your promises carry extra weight, and a single broken deal can ruin your chances of making further trades. In such setups, your credibility becomes your most valuable currency.

Timing Your Negotiations

Timing is everything in negotiation. The game state is always changing, and recognizing the right moment to strike is just as important as knowing what to offer. Opportunities often arise when opponents are desperate - whether they need specific resources or alliances to stay in the game. Acting during these moments can give you a significant advantage.

For example, in Chinatown, the key is to notice when another player urgently needs a particular tile. This allows you to negotiate from a position of strength, extracting better terms. Understanding what others are collecting and why can give you insights into their motivations, helping you gain the upper hand.

However, it’s important to avoid negotiating from a position of weakness unless absolutely necessary. If you're falling behind, wait until you have something valuable to offer. Appearing desperate can weaken your bargaining power.

Three factors - information, time, and power - are at the heart of effective negotiation. Information helps you understand what others need at any given moment. Time creates investment; when players spend time discussing a deal, they’re less likely to back out due to the sunk cost effect. And power shifts as the game progresses, so timing your negotiations when you hold the upper hand can lead to better outcomes.

In games with tight mechanics like Bohnanza, desperation becomes an opportunity. If an opponent needs to offload unwanted cards, you can negotiate from a position of strength and secure favorable terms.

Your current standing in the game also affects how you should approach negotiations. If you’re leading, you might want to negotiate defensively, making minor concessions to prevent others from teaming up against you. If you’re trailing, focus on forming alliances and making attractive offers to challenge the leader. Players in the middle of the pack often play the role of kingmaker, using their position to influence the game and maximize their own gains.

Balancing Cooperation and Competition

The trickiest part of negotiation is finding the right balance between cooperating with others and advancing your own interests. Every deal requires you to weigh short-term benefits against long-term risks, ensuring you gain an advantage without giving too much power to your opponents.

Take Catan as an example. Toward the end of the game, a kingmaker dynamic can emerge, where one player controls crucial resources. Their trades can determine the winner, making them the center of intense negotiations. Recognizing when you - or another player - hold this power is key to shaping your strategy.

Be cautious about deals that might empower a player who’s close to winning. If someone is just a point or two away from victory, helping them could cost you the game. In such cases, it’s often better to form temporary alliances with other players who are also trailing. Working together to counterbalance the leader can be more effective than going it alone.

Different games require different approaches to cooperation. In Root, for instance, the Riverfolk Company uses open gameplay - publicly showing their hands and setting fixed prices - to create transparency and build trust. In games like Zoo Vadis, where some trades are binding and others rely on future promises, understanding the nature of each agreement is essential for balancing immediate cooperation with long-term flexibility.

Form alliances based on shared objectives rather than personal preferences. Highlighting a common goal - like stopping a dominant player from winning - can create a sense of urgency and encourage collaboration. But remember, alliances are often temporary. As the game progresses, your priorities may shift, and you’ll need to adapt your partnerships accordingly.

Positioning yourself as essential to multiple players’ strategies can also be a game-changer. In Sidereal Confluence, for example, you can negotiate multi-turn deals, such as promising future profits or lending resources. By becoming central to others’ plans, you can influence multiple players while maintaining a balance between cooperation and competition.

Ultimately, the best negotiators view cooperation as a means to an end, not the goal itself. Help others in ways that align with your own victory conditions, and always keep an eye on the bigger picture. By doing so, you can shape the game’s dynamics to your advantage and stay one step ahead of your opponents.

Negotiation vs. Other Conflict Resolution Mechanics

Board games offer a variety of ways for players to resolve conflicts and strive for victory. Among these, negotiation mechanics stand out for their unique social dynamics, but they’re just one option in a broad spectrum of systems. By comparing negotiation to other approaches, we can better understand what makes each mechanic distinct and why designers might favor one over another.

The most striking difference lies in player freedom. Negotiation allows players to craft their own deals, offering complete flexibility in terms and agreements. Whether it’s trading resources or making future promises, the possibilities are wide open. For instance, in Sidereal Confluence, players engage in binding, unrestricted deals, creating a level of complexity that rigid systems can't replicate.

On the other hand, auction mechanics operate within a structured framework. Players bid on resources, actions, or turn orders based on fixed rules, with the highest bid determining the outcome. There’s no room for alliances or creative deal-making here - success depends on resource management and assessing value, not social maneuvering.

Cooperative mechanics take yet another route. In these games, players work together toward a shared goal, communicating openly and aligning their objectives. The focus is on collective success rather than individual gain, removing the strategic tension that negotiation thrives on. Discussions are collaborative, and decisions are made as a group, fostering teamwork over competition.

Here’s a quick comparison of how these systems differ across key gameplay aspects:

Aspect	Negotiation Mechanics	Auction Mechanics	Cooperative Mechanics
Player Freedom	Unlimited creativity in deals and terms	Fixed bidding rules and increments	Decisions limited to shared goals
Deal Binding	Typically binding and enforceable	Highest bid secures the win	Agreements are open and transparent
Player Interaction	Multi-party discussions and offers	Sequential bidding	Collaborative decision-making
Outcome Determination	Emergent from agreements, multiple possibilities	Determined by highest bid	Shared success or failure
Social Dynamics	Builds relationships; can lead to "kingmaker" scenarios	Competitive, with clear economic logic	Cooperation with minimized tension
Information Transparency	Often involves bluffing and hidden motives	Transparent bids and public info	Open sharing of information

One hallmark of negotiation games is the "kingmaker" effect, where a single player’s decisions can determine the winner. In games like Chinatown, players may hold crucial resources near the end, forcing others to negotiate intensely. This dynamic creates a mix of social pressure and strategic complexity that auction or cooperative systems rarely match. It’s a reminder that negotiation isn’t just about resources - it’s also about managing relationships and reputations.

Another defining feature is the role of bluffing and hidden information. Negotiation games often thrive on deception and reading others. Take Sheriff of Nottingham, where players bribe and bluff their way through customs inspections. Unlike the transparency of auction games, negotiation here involves building and breaking trust for strategic advantage.

The timing and structure of interactions also set negotiation apart. Many negotiation games allow real-time, simultaneous discussions, creating a chaotic yet engaging environment. In Chinatown, players freely trade and haggle, with multiple conversations happening at once. Auction mechanics, by contrast, follow a sequential, turn-based process with clear winners and losers.

Some games cleverly blend these systems. The King’s Dilemma combines negotiation, legacy storytelling, and auction voting, while Root integrates negotiation into its expansions, adding an extra layer to its core area control mechanics. These examples show how negotiation can complement other systems, enriching the overall experience.

Negotiation also adds a unique layer of interaction between players and the game itself. Beyond negotiating with each other, players often engage with the game’s inherent risks and rewards. For example, deciding when to roll dice or take specific actions can feel like negotiating with fate itself. This meta-strategic layer is absent in auction and cooperative systems, where the rules remain fixed and predictable.

When designers opt for negotiation mechanics, they’re emphasizing social interaction and emergent gameplay over rigid competition. Negotiation games are perfect for groups that enjoy persuasion and conversation alongside strategy. However, they come with trade-offs - balancing these games can be tricky, and betrayals can create tension among players who take things personally.

Player count also influences how negotiation mechanics work. Games like The King’s Dilemma, which thrive with five or more players, require different negotiation structures than smaller games. Auction systems, on the other hand, scale more predictably, as their rules don’t change with player count.

It’s also worth distinguishing negotiation from simple trading. Trading involves straightforward exchanges, while negotiation encompasses a broader range of interactions, including alliances, promises, and conditional agreements. In Bohnanza, for instance, players negotiate trades to manage the game’s locked-hand mechanic, creating interactions that wouldn’t exist in a pure auction or cooperative format.

Each conflict resolution system serves different design goals. Negotiation mechanics excel at creating memorable social moments and intricate player dynamics. Auction systems, with their transparent processes, focus on economic strategy and balance. Cooperative games encourage teamwork and problem-solving, offering a more relaxed experience. Understanding these differences helps players choose games that suit their preferences and highlights the depth each system brings to the table.

Conclusion

Negotiation mechanics turn board games into vibrant social experiences, blending strategy with the unpredictability of human interaction. This guide has unpacked their essential components and the tactics players use to outmaneuver opponents. What makes negotiation stand out is the human touch - it’s a mix of persuasion, compromise, and even the occasional strategic betrayal.

These mechanics are incredibly flexible, allowing players to craft their own paths to victory through deal-making. Games like Chinatown and Root showcase how negotiation can range from structured agreements to freeform discussions, creating gameplay that evolves with the personalities and strategies around the table.

Success in negotiation revolves around three main factors: information, time, and power. Players who master these elements - by tracking asymmetries, timing their proposals, and building trust - gain a significant edge over those who leave outcomes to chance. For game designers, the real magic happens when freedom and constraints are balanced, elevating the impact of negotiation mechanics.

Unlike rigid systems like auctions or fully cooperative frameworks, negotiation strikes a unique balance between collaboration and competition. This balance leads to unforgettable moments - whether it’s an alliance that holds strong, a betrayal that shifts the game, or a last-minute deal that changes everything. These are the stories players carry with them long after the game is over.

For those looking to dive into negotiation-heavy gameplay, Moonrakers is a prime example. Whether you’re designing a game or sharpening your negotiation skills, the key is to embrace the unpredictable and dynamic nature of human interaction.

Ready to explore the depth of negotiation mechanics? Check out our curated collection of games at Brain-Games.lv/en/ and discover titles that bring negotiation to life.

FAQs

How are negotiation mechanics in board games different from systems like auctions or cooperative gameplay?

Negotiation mechanics in board games revolve around players interacting directly to strike deals, form alliances, or make compromises through discussion and persuasion. Unlike auction mechanics, which center on bidding strategies, or cooperative gameplay, where teamwork drives shared objectives, negotiation requires players to balance their own interests while building trust with others.

This approach leads to dynamic and unpredictable gameplay, as the outcomes are shaped more by player communication and social interactions than by rigid rules or predefined actions. It’s this reliance on human interaction that makes negotiation a standout feature in many strategy and party games.

How can players balance teamwork and competition during negotiations in board games?

To navigate the tricky balance between teamwork and competition in board game negotiations, clear communication and strategic planning are your best tools. Form temporary alliances when it serves a shared purpose, but always keep your long-term objectives front and center. Trust is important - be truthful enough to build it, but don’t give away your entire game plan.

Stay sharp by observing the motives of other players and adjusting your strategy as needed. Successful negotiation often hinges on knowing when to work together and when to put your own goals first. The real challenge is finding that sweet spot between collaboration and pursuing your personal win, giving you the best shot at victory.

How do trust and player choices impact negotiations in games like Catan or Cosmic Encounter?

Trust and the decisions players make are key elements in negotiation-focused board games. In titles like Catan or Cosmic Encounter, trust shapes whether players choose to collaborate, trade resources, or form alliances. Earning the confidence of others can open the door to better deals, but breaking promises - like going back on an agreement - can backfire. Once trust is damaged, it’s harder to get others to cooperate with you in future rounds.

Equally important is player agency - the ability to make meaningful decisions. Players must carefully assess risks and rewards, adjust their strategies as the game evolves, and try to predict their opponents’ moves. The interplay between trust and strategic choices often defines the outcome of negotiations, adding layers of tension and excitement to the game.

Related Blog Posts

• Trust Games: Psychology in Board Games