That's a Terrible Deal. I'll Take It! Negotiation and Bohnanza

Have you ever played a game that looked simple and straightforward on the surface but had surprising depth? For me, that game is Bohnanza, a light- hearted game about planting beans that is also somehow a masterclass in negotiation.

Negotiation is one of the most important soft skills to learn because of how often we engage in it. It isn't just when we negotiate for a higher salary, broker a business deal, or haggle over the price of a new car. We negotiate every day, from parenting (Just three more bites of spinach) to the watercooler (I know you're busy, but can I get that report by end of day?) to date night (we'll get sushi and cocktails tonight, then do pizza and board games on Friday). Despite how often we engage in negotiation it seems to come naturally to some and not so much to others. With some insights into the component parts and concepts plus a little dedicated practice, anyone can improve their negotiation skills.

Bohnanza: To bean or not to bean

In this silly but seriously fun game, players take on the role of humble bean farmers trying to earn a living. Each turn players will plant the first bean in their hand, choose to plant the second if they want, then flip over two more cards from the deck and enter the negotiation phase. The most important rule in the game, and the reason the negotiation round is so important, goes against every card player's most basic instinct: You are not allowed, under any condition, to rearrange your hand. The first card in is the first card out. Cue utter chaos. After the negotiation round, the player adds three cards, one at a time in order, to the back of their hand.

The fun and frustration of the game stems from the FIFO rule (First In, First Out). Players are always forced to plant the first bean in their hand and since they know the order of at least their next few beans, this creates opportunities for fortuitous trades. The trading and negotiation round allows players to remove cards from their hands (but not rearrange), to give to other players in exchange for beans that are more important in the short term, or sometimes in exchange for nothing at all. In the next few sections let's take a look at an important concept in negotiations through the lens of Bohnanza: BATNA

What the heck is BATNA anyway?

How do you know when to take a deal and when to walk away? That all comes down to your BATNA. No, not "Beans And Trades Negotiated Aggressively", BATNA stands for "Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement." Basically, for any offer you are given, do you have a better offer from someone else, or does rejecting the offer provide more value? In negotiations there are always at least two parties involved, so be mindful that each party has their own BATNA to consider for any given deal.

There are a few simple ways to improve your BATNA, giving you an advantage in negotiations. 

• Court multiple parties: One of the easiest ways to improve your negotiating position is having multiple offers or deals to choose from. When I was engaged in recruiting and hiring, even if I had the "perfect" candidate, I still made it a habit to interview other candidates, if only to cultivate some alternatives if my first choice didn't work out. This also gives you options so you don't overpay for a seemingly perfect choice.

• Try to determine your opponent's BATNA: knowing what your opponent's walk away point is just as valuable as knowing your own. Doing so ensures your offers are both taken seriously by the other party and not overpaying unnecessarily. In business deals, making a point of doing competitive research to understand your industry rivals and their likely offers is always useful. Simply asking your opponent what other offers they have, if any, is a good call. You probably won't get a straight answer, but even partial truths provide insight.

• Determine the pros and cons of doing nothing: At the end of the day, some deals just aren't worth making. If you are likely to have a better offer in the near future, even if you don't have one now, you should walk away. In a truly competitive situation, even if you would benefit from making the deal, consider how much better off your opponent would be if they got everything they asked for. Finally, don't let yourself succumb to "panic deals”, bad deals for you or great deals for your opponent, just because you don’t think there is another opportunity in the near future. Short term gains with long term pains won't work in the long run.

Beans and Trades Negotiated Aggressively

In both business and beans, your BATNA determines if you take the deal or hold out. Let's take a look at how we can apply these concepts to Bohnanza for practice.

Courting multiple parties

During the negotiation round, the active player can make trades with all other players at the table. It would behoove you to hear out all other players before committing to a particular deal. As the offers are voiced around the table, the deals tend to improve as each player can hear what the current best offer is. While the trading itself is limited to the active player, negotiations themselves are not. Non-active players can wheel and deal in between turns, perhaps offering a future deal to another player not to make a trade with the action player at this time.

What is your opponent's BATNA?

As I mentioned in the last section, all trades and negotiations are public knowledge so all players know what the current best offer is. There is another way to use this information. If instead of a number of ever increasing offers, there are crickets, You can also use this to your advantage. If your opponent is worse off by being forced to plant a bean in their field, you may be able to set that bean for the low, low price of free. Sure, you get something for nothing, but they aren't hurt by holding on to it, so it's a win-win.

When walking away is the right call

Sometimes the best deal is no deal, especially when the only thing you are buying is regret. Picture this, your opponent just offered you nothing in exchange for your precious green bean. You've never been so insulted in your life (or at least the last 10 minutes). Sure you don't really want to plant it right now because it messes up your short term plans, but giving it away for free just doesn't sit right with you. Upon further inspection, if you gave that green bean away, it would complete the set your opponent has and will score them multiple points. Sometimes the only thing worse than planting the wrong bean is giving your opponent the perfect bean.

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, Bohnanza is more than just a quirky game about beans, it’s a playful sandbox for practicing serious negotiation skills. Every trade teaches you something about knowing when to walk away, how to strengthen your alternatives, and why understanding the other person’s position matters as much as your own. That’s the essence of BATNA: your power in any negotiation comes not just from the deal on the table, but from the strength of the options you hold in reserve.

So whether you’re bartering beans with friends or bargaining for your next raise, remember: sometimes the best move isn’t to take the deal, but to plant your bean, wait, and trust that a better opportunity will come around.

Next time you’re at the table, whether game or boardroom, ask yourself: what’s my BATNA here? You might be surprised how much stronger your negotiations become once you know the answer.