Setting Up the Game 🎲
Before starting, each player selects their token and receives $1,500 in Monopoly money distributed as follows:
- 2x $500
- 4x $100
- 1x $50
- 6x $20
- 5x $10
- 5x $5
- 5x $1
Place the board in the center of the table, shuffle both the Chance and Community Chest cards, and select a banker who will manage the bank's money and property deeds.
The Objective 🎯
The primary goal of Monopoly is to become the wealthiest player through buying, renting, and selling properties. The game ends when all but one player have gone bankrupt, or when a predetermined time limit is reached, and the player with the most wealth is declared the winner.
Basic Gameplay
Players take turns rolling two dice and moving clockwise around the board. On your turn, you can:
- Buy unowned properties you land on
- Pay rent when landing on properties owned by others
- Build houses or hotels on properties you own
- Mortgage properties for cash
- Trade properties with other players
Rolling Doubles
If you roll doubles, you get another turn after completing your current turn. However, if you roll doubles three times in a row, you go directly to jail.
Property Ownership and Development 🏠
When landing on an unowned property, you can buy it for the listed price. If you choose not to buy it, the property goes up for auction. Players can bid any amount, and the highest bidder gets the property.
Building Houses and Hotels
Once you own all properties in a color group, you can build houses. Houses must be built evenly across properties:
You cannot build a second house on any property until you've built one house on each property in that color group.
Maximum development:
- 4 houses per property
- 1 hotel (replaces 4 houses)
Special Spaces ⭐
GO
Collect $200 when passing or landing on GO
Chance and Community Chest
Draw a card and follow its instructions
Income Tax
Pay either $200 or 10% of your total worth
Luxury Tax
Pay $75
Free Parking
No action required (unless using house rules)
Jail 🚔
You can end up in jail by:
- Landing on "Go to Jail"
- Drawing a card that sends you to jail
- Rolling three doubles in a row
To get out of jail:
- Pay a $50 fine
- Use a "Get Out of Jail Free" card
- Roll doubles on your turn (you have three attempts)
Strategy Tips 💡
- Orange and red properties offer the best return on investment
- Railroad ownership becomes more valuable with each additional railroad
- Develop properties strategically to maximize return
- Keep some cash reserves for unexpected expenses
- Consider mortgaging properties when cash is tight
- Try to acquire monopolies to charge higher rents
- Focus on buying properties that are frequently landed on
Additional Resources 📚
For more detailed rules and strategies, you can refer to:
- The official Monopoly rules provided by Hasbro
- BoardGameGeek for community insights
- The Hasbro Monopoly website
Remember that many families play with "house rules" - common variations that aren't part of the official rules but make the game more enjoyable for their group. 🎉