From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Asante?

Z-Man Games / Kosmos English rules, 2013

The player with the most loose change in their pockets starts.

Rule details

That player takes the five action markers.

This is the two-player game.

Source & edition

Asante: English rulebookZ-Man Games / Kosmos · Game Setup, final bullet · Checked 2026-09-24Printed page references: 2
PDF page 2

Image: © Kosmos / Z-Man Games; Michael Menzel; retail image owner · Noble Knight Games retail listing

If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.

If there’s a tie

The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.

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<blockquote class="whogoesfirst-rule" cite="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/asante-zman-kosmos-2013-en/">
  <p><strong>Who goes first in Asante?</strong> The player with the most loose change in their pockets starts.</p>
  <p>Source: <a href="https://whogoesfirst.fun/games/asante-zman-kosmos-2013-en/">Official starting rule on Who Goes First?</a> (Z-Man Games / Kosmos English rules, 2013)</p>
</blockquote>

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