Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in the world. It’s a game of strategy, luck, and negotiation. If you’re new to the game, it can seem complicated at first. But once you understand the rules, it’s easy to get the hang of it. In this article, we’ll show you how to play Monopoly step-by-step.
Setting Up the Game
The first thing you need to do is set up the game. Monopoly comes with a game board, 8 tokens, 28 Title Deed cards, 16 Chance cards, 16 Community Chest cards, 32 houses, 12 hotels, 2 dice, and a stack of money. Here’s how to set it up:
- Place the game board on a flat surface.
- Each player chooses a token and places it on the “GO” space.
- Shuffle the Chance and Community Chest cards and place them face down on their respective spaces on the board.
- Place all the Title Deed cards face down on their respective spaces on the board.
- Give each player $1500 in Monopoly money.
- Decide who will go first.
Playing the Game
The objective of Monopoly is to become the wealthiest player by buying, renting, and selling properties. Here’s how to play:
- Roll the dice to determine how many spaces you can move.
- Move your token clockwise around the board.
- Follow the instructions on the space you land on.
- If the space is unowned, you can buy it. If you don’t want to buy it, it goes up for auction and the highest bidder gets it.
- If the space is owned by another player, you have to pay rent.
- Collect $200 every time you pass “GO”.
- Continue playing until one player has all the money.
Buying Properties
When you land on an unowned property, you have the option to buy it. The price is listed on the Title Deed card. If you don’t want to buy it, it goes up for auction. The highest bidder gets the property. Once you own a property, you can build houses and hotels on it to increase the rent.
Paying Rent
If you land on a space that’s owned by another player, you have to pay rent. The amount of rent depends on how many houses and hotels are on the property. If you can’t pay the rent, you have to mortgage your properties or sell them to raise the money.
Chance and Community Chest Cards
When you land on a Chance or Community Chest space, you draw a card and follow the instructions. The cards can be good or bad. For example, you might get a card that says “Advance to Boardwalk” or “Pay $50 for each house you own”.
Go to Jail
If you land on the “Go to Jail” space, you have to go to jail. You can get out of jail by paying $50, rolling doubles on your next turn, or using a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.
Free Parking
Free Parking is just a space to rest. You don’t get any money for landing on it, but some people play with house rules where you do.
FAQs
Q: How many players can play Monopoly?
A: Monopoly can be played with 2-8 players.
Q: How long does a game of Monopoly usually last?
A: A game of Monopoly can last anywhere from 1-4 hours.
Q: What happens if you run out of money?
A: If you run out of money, you can mortgage your properties or sell them to raise the money.
Q: Can you play Monopoly online?
A: Yes, there are many online versions of Monopoly available to play.
Q: Are there different versions of Monopoly?
A: Yes, there are many different versions of Monopoly based on different themes like cities, movies, and sports teams.
Conclusion
Monopoly is a fun game that’s easy to learn but hard to master. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a Monopoly champion. So gather your friends and family, set up the board, and let the games begin!