You've been playing Monopoly wrong - expert says we've been using made-up rules
Monopoly is a staple part of the Christmas period for many, but it turns out many of us aren't playing the game correctly.
Ah, Monopoly. The board game that always gets pulled out at Christmas, and that we all think will be a good idea for the first 10 minutes until it inevitably devolves into chaos and arguments over who owns what, and who needs to pay up. Many disagreements over the game stem from people having conflicts over the rules, and according to one board game expert, that's largely because none of us are actually following the rules as laid out in the instructions.
Amber Crook, Editorial Chief and board games expert at Game Rules has debunked a number of the "made up" rules many of us use when playing Monopoly so that you can hopefully avoid a family fallout this Christmas.
You should not receive money for landing on Free Parking
Many families play Monopoly with a rule in place that whenever you pay taxes or fines, you put the money into the centre of the board. Then, when someone lands on the Free Parking square, they get a nice bonus and can pick up all the money that has been collected in the middle.
According to Amber, however, that is not an official rule. She said: "Many think that any in-game fines and taxes are paid to the Free Parking square, for players to collect if they roll and land on it. While it may add an exciting element of luck to the game, this is unfortunately not an official rule. Instead, any in-game fines should be paid directly to the bank, and the Free Parking square should serve only as a 'resting place' if a player lands on it, according to the rule book."
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You can collect rent while in jail
Going to jail as a property owner in the game can cause a whole host of arguments, as some will tell you that you cannot collect rent if people land on properties you own while you're sitting in jail. But Amber states you can continue to manage your properties while in jail - but you have to pay attention.
She explained: "It's a common misconception that when a player is in jail, they can't collect rent if another player lands on a property they own. Again, not true! You can collect rent, or buy and sell properties or houses, as you normally would while in jail. Regardless of whether you are in jail or not, if you fail to notice a player has landed on your property, you cannot then ask them for rent once the next player has already rolled the dice."
Getting out of jail comes with a price
We all know that getting out of jail requires you to roll a double with your dice. However, most people will play the game with the rule that if you fail to get a double roll three times, you can automatically move yourself out of jail for free. This isn't true though, and the rules state that if you can't roll a double you must pay the bank M50 to get out.
Amber said: "The rules actually state that on your third roll, you must still pay a M50 fine to the bank, before moving your piece out of jail according to the number shown on the die."
You don't need to wait until your turn to buy houses
You might think you need to wait until it's your turn to start building on your properties once you own a full-colour set, but this isn't true. Amber states: "You can build houses and hotels at any point during your turn or between other players' turns. You can't, however, build houses on one of your properties if a player has already landed on it."
You must evenly space out your houses
Once you own all the properties in a colour group it's time to start building houses and hotels, but the official rules state you must do this evenly. That means you can't buy four houses for one property and none for the others in the colour group. Instead, you must purchase one house at a time for each property and build it up from there.
The game only ends when only one player is not bankrupt
Monopoly games can last a long time, and it can be tempting to call an end to the game once one person declares bankruptcy. That isn't the right way to play the game though, as you should continue until there is only one player left who isn't bankrupt.
What rules will you be using to play Monopoly this Christmas? Let us know in the comments!
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