We all know that monopoly is an interesting board game that gained impressive popularity since the day it was invented. Even nowadays in the time of amazing technologic evolution many of us prefer spending an evening with our friends and family members playing this simple board game. Most of players mistakenly think that monopoly is more based on luck than on player skills. Of course luck is an important factor but without certain skills and knowledge winning chances are reduced substantially, on the other hand knowing several winning tactics you raise you chances of winning even though your throws aren’t that lucky. There are numerous tips and tactics about monopoly that are known to gain profit and bring you closer to a victorious finish over you opponents, but we are going to speak about the main tips every player should be using when playing monopoly in this article.
Tip1. Studying the odds of monopoly is very important in building a decent strategy. There are some statistics about this game that can help you in making right decisions. Example of useful facts: Doubles happen with a probability of 17 %; a lap around the board ends in five turns most of the times; the most landed color group is orange etc.
Tip2. Look forward to get to three houses as quick as possible because the rents rise considerably between three and two houses, sometimes more than double.
Tip3. Purchasing railroads should consist one of your primary objectives. Experienced players know that railroads are a better investment than other utilities. Although you should remember that Short Line doesn’t represent an interesting investment because it is rarely used and even though railroads are more important don’t hesitate on buying needed buildings.
Tip4. Even though sitting in jail can make you loose profitable deals while skipping four turns, it also can save you from paying daily taxes. In early beginning sitting in jail isn’t a great decisions, but in late game you may consider about it, especially if you own orange group.
Tip5. Do not buy everything in your sight; it is the way that leads to bankruptcy. Remember that landing on a property you don’t need can be auctioned for a highest price, making interesting deals.
Tip6. Besides Orange color group that is linked to jail; dark blue, purple and yellow properties are the best to own.
Tip7. Do not hesitate on trading in early game, assume the risks and go for the deals, otherwise you risk to turn the game into a pure luck decision.
Tip8. In case you have the necessary cash and you landed on the last site of a color group your opponent is completing, buying it should turn into a profitable deal later.
Knowing these basics will give you the opportunity of completing a large specter of strategies against other players. Good Luck in building your monopoly!
A lot of people consider that the history of “Monopoly” started in 1934 invented by Charles B. Darrow and after that sold to The Parker brothers in 1935, but the history of this game is much older and complex. Some people say that this board game was invented for the first time by a woman that worked as an economist follower. Her name was Elizabeth Maggie (McGee), and she invented this game in 1904 in order to help learning the single tax theory invented by Henry George. In 1906 this game named “The Landlords Game” already got it’s patent and was granted a saw production. In 1921 Elizabeth introduced some changes in game rules, making the game more similar to the “Monopoly” we all know, and she was granted a new patent in 1924.
In 1932 a man called Dan Layman introduced his own changes to the game and took his invention to “Electronic Laboratories” (Indianapolis) to be mass produced. The game was named “Finance”, and entered the history as the first board game of this kind that was mass produced.
The next changes that “Monopoly” suffered were from a person named Ruth Hoskins. She learned the game from Dan Layman and took it to Atlantic City. Some people say that the changes she made were as a result of an erroneous memory, but now we can say that this was a step that got us closer to the “Monopoly” we are familiar with. She worked on the game with a guy named Jesse Rayford, and this version actually got the name “Monopoly”.
Rayford had a friend, Mr. Charles Todd, and he taught him playing “Monopoly” as well. The game version was still an auction type monopoly, and the main difference was that there weren’t any prices for the properties.
After that Todd presented the game to his childhood friend, Esther, Charles Darrow’s wife. After an interesting night of “Monopoly” playing Mr. Darrow asked Todd to give him a copy of the rules. This two guys never spoke again after that night.
Charles Darrow realized that the game he played is a good thing and he started to make “Monopoly” copies by hand. He introduced some slight changes in rules and game board structure, made them a copyright, and that’s how the actual “Monopoly” was born.
In 1935 he contacted the Parker brothers, because he couldn’t keep up with the sales. After one rejection, The Parker Brothers agreed to buy the game, but there were some problems to solve. They bought the patent from Elizabeth Maggie ( known as Philips at that time ) with 500 $ and started a game production concurrence with Knapp Electric and other guy’s that manufactured this board game, like Darrow. Soon they got the patent № 2026082 and the Parker brothers were granted full rights over this popular game.
The main goal of the game is to become the wealthiest player by selling, buying and renting property.
The Equipment “Monopoly” game consists of: the board itself, tokens, 2 dice, 32 houses, 12 hotels and cards. There are different cards: Chance cards, Community Chest cards, Title Deed cards for every property, and of course money.
Game preparations are very simple. You just need to place the board on a flat surface. Place the Community Chest and Chance cards on the allotted spaces on the board. Every player must pick a token to represent him or her on the playing board. Each player is given 1500 $ in the following way: 2 of 500$’s, 200$’s and 50$’s; 6 of $20’s; and 5 of each 10$’s, 5$’s and 1$’s.
Next step is “The Banker” selection. This player must be a good Auctioneer and must keep his personal funds separated from Bank funds. In those cases when there are more than five players, The Banker may act only as an Auctioneer and a Banker.
“The Bank” is the place on the board where the Title Deed cards, houses and hotels priors and the game money are kept. It pays salaries and bonuses, gives loans, sells hotels and houses and collects taxes. The bank cannot be ruined and it never goes broke. In case if it runs out of money, The Banker just can make more of them by writing on ordinary paper.
The game play is very easy. Put all tokens on the mark “GO” and start throwing dices, who gets more is the one to start the game. After the throw, move your token in the direction that the arrow and dices number are indicating. Two and more tokens can stand on the same place on the board. According to the place token stays on, you can be entitled to buy some property, pay taxes, get a Chance or Community Chest card or even go to jail. If you throw doubles you move as usually and become subject to all privileges or penalties that spot represents. Three double throws in a row, represents moving your token to the spot named “Jail”.
Each time a player lands on the mark “GO” or passes it, he gets 200 $ from the Bank as a salary. If after a throw the dices land 2 places beyond on a Community Chest, or 7 places beyond on a Chance spot, and he draws out the “Advantage to Go” card, than he is given 2 times 200$.
When you land on a property, there are 2 choices, or you buy it and place it in front of you face up or if you don’t want to buy it is sold at an auction. If you land on other’s property they may get a rental pay in accordance to the list printed.
If you on the Chance or Community Chest spot, you must take the top card from the deck and after using it put it back face down at the bottom. The “Get out of Jail Free” card may be used whenever player wants, or even can be sold to other players, after usage it also is put on the bottom of the deck. “Income tax” makes you to pay a 200 $ or 10 % of all your money to the Bank.
The player goes to “Jail” if he draws the card, lands on the spot or throws doubles 3 times in a row. While in jail you don’t get the 200 $ salary and your turn ends. There are 3 ways to get out of Jail : pay a 50 $ fee; throw doubles on any of your next 3 turns; play the “Get out of Jail card”. If you don’t throw doubles in any of you next 3 turns you must pay the 50 $ fine anyway, and even in jail you may rent sell or buy property.
If landing on “Free Property” the player does not receive any property, money and don’t pay taxes.
When you own all properties in a color- group you may buy houses. If you have 4 houses you can buy hotels. The prices you must pay the Bank are shown on you Title Deeds. A player cannot build more than one house on any property of any color-group until he has built one house on every property of that group. The limit of any color-groups consists of 4 houses. The owner collects double rentals from another player that lands on unimproved properties.
All unimproved properties and other goods may be sold to other players as a private transaction or to The Bank for a half-priced fee.
A player is declared Bankrupted if he owns more than he can afford to pay to another player or The Bank. In case if the debt is to another player, he must give all his values and retire from game. Money can be loaned to a player only by The Bank, and only by mortgaging properties.
The last player left in game is declared the Winner.
