Monopoly tips

by Shannon, Summerville, SC and Robert, St Paul, MN

(USA)

Shannon says: One of my top Monopoly tips is to try to get the heavy land areas, such as the mauves of St. Charles Place and the oranges of Tennessee. You will then hold one entire side of the board.

QUICKLY go to hotels, even if it leaves you flat broke – you will fast make up your loss of money as players ultimately land on you.If you can’t get one side of the board, try for to corners back to back, such as the mauves on one and the reds on the next.

One way or another the odds will be in your favor… the key is moving to hotels FAST.

Robert says: Although much of Monopoly is luck, you can maximize your chances of winning by making sure to follow some key Monopoly tips.

Buy properties! It may be tempting to try to save money, but buying lots of properties early on will benefit you later in the game. They have lots of value when negotiating trades, and you will be able to stop your opponent(s) from getting a monopoly, while creating your own.

Don’t be afraid to mortgage While it is possible to spend too much money in Monopoly, you should not be afraid to mortgage what you own. A key piece of property is much more valuable than the rent you are sacrificing by mortgaging. The main exception to this rule is if you already have a monopoly.

Railroads are your friend It is not difficult to overlook the railroads, but they offer tremendous value. Not only are they affordable, but they charge a good rent without having to buy houses. Your opponent(s) will land on them often, since there are four on the board. There are also chance cards that will force them to move to railroads and sometimes pay double rent.

Use jail to your advantage If both you and your opponent have high rent monopolies, it can benefit you to stay in jail for as long as possible. Unless you absolutely need to buy a property, it will be worth it to avoid landing on someone else’s monopoly.

Tips on trading carefully Almost all trades offered to you will benefit your opponent more than they benefit you. Be patient when deciding which trades to accept, and carefully go over how it will affect your opponent’s situation, as well as your own. Don’t accept a trade only because you will get a monopoly. A monopoly is not worth much if you cannot buy its houses, or will be forced to sell them. Good luck!