Best Starting Positions: Picking Opening Spots
A simple, maths-based way to rank intersections before the first placement.
1. Count the pips
Each intersection touches up to three hexes. Add the pips of their numbers (6 and 8 = 5, 5 and 9 = 4, 4 and 10 = 3, 3 and 11 = 2, 2 and 12 = 1). A spot with 6-5-9 has 13 pips, so it produces on 13 of every 36 rolls on average.
| Example spot | Pips | Expected production per 36 rolls |
|---|---|---|
| 6 · 5 · 9 | 13 | 13 resources |
| 8 · 4 · 10 | 11 | 11 resources |
| 11 · 3 · 12 | 5 | 5 resources |
2. Prefer different numbers
6-5-9 pays out on three different rolls; touching two hexes with the same number pays double on one roll and nothing on the others. Diversity smooths your income.
3. Think in resource pairs
Wood + brick build roads and settlements early; ore + wheat build cities and development cards later. A strong opening covers one pair and gets the other with the second settlement.
4. Use harbors deliberately
A 2:1 harbor is strongest next to high-pip hexes of the same resource.
Our generator marks the six highest-pip intersections on every board with numbered white circles.
Next step → See the best spots on a fresh board
Updated 2026-10-26 · about & methodology
More tools & guides
Classic 19-hex balanced map5-6 player generator
30-hex extension layoutBalanced board rules
How fair boards are builtDice probability chart
Odds & pips for 2-12How to set up a board
Variable setup stepsIsland & seafaring ideas
Custom scenario inspirationBest starting positions
Pick opening spots by pipsTiles & number tokens
Full component counts
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