Monopoly Strategy

This post is not about odds and probabilities. If you look out for monopoly strategies based on numbers, you will find great analysis on the subject. If I may suggest, you should take a look at How to Win at Monopoky - a Surefire Strategy and at Probabilities in the Game of Monopoly. They both describe how long it will take to get a return on your investment, expected incomes, probability of landing on a square... you get the picture. Both article are based on numbers, so what I would like to do here, is to take a different approach. Instead of using numbers to drive my strategy, I will focus on the element of the game, more precisely the monopoly chance card and use them to my advantages. And, if you would like to play this game and you are without friends, you can now play Monopoly Online.

Just for the fun of it, the next time you go to the bathroom, bring the monopoly chance card with you to take a deeper look at them. Some cards are more interesting than the other. For example, the "Advance To Illinois Ave." chance card. Imagine if you already had the red set of property in your possession and that the Illinois avenue property is improved with houses or hotel... If you count the amount of chance card in the deck, you will find out that there's 16 of them. So every 16 chance card drawing, a monopoly player will end up on the Illinois Ave! If you're still sitting in the bathroom and looking at the chance card, you will soon find out that there is eight other chance card that will give a little bonus like the Illinois Avenue card. So let's go through the whole deck of card to illustrate my monopoly strategy based on the chance card.

"Advance to Illinois Ave."

Ok, we already saw this one, so the next time you have a chance to buy this property don't miss your chance. Even if "Kentucky" and "Indiana" are in someone else hand, the Illinois avenue will worth a lot more when trading and selling time will come. Keep it like a good old bottle of red wine. With the jail very close to it, the number of time monopoly players will land on it is higher than some other property.

"Advance to St. Charles Place"

Like the Illinois avenue card, St. Charles Place is a sure buy. The price to improve the property on the purple set is cheaper than the red set, so you will make money faster.

"Advance token to the nearest Railroad and pay owner Twice the Rental to which he/she is otherwise entitled. If Railroad is UNOWNED, you may buy it from the bank"

You need to know that there is two chance card like this one, so this card will come up every eight card. The more railroad you have, the more money you'll make.

"Take a ride on the reading, IF YOU PASS GO COLLECT $200"

Railroads are definitely my favorite. They let you make money as soon has you buy one and the rent increase when you have more. This chance card will bring even more traffic if you bought the Reading Railroad. With the previous chance card description (move to the nearest railroad...), the Reading railroad property is even more interesting.

"ADVANCE TOKEN TO NEAREST UTILITY, If UNOWNED, you may buy it from the bank. If OWNED, throw dice and pay owner a total ten times the amount thrown.

The reasons to buy the monopoly "Electric company" and "Water Works" properties is obvious. Like the railroads you start making money right away (no need to improve them) and if you have both, the total paid by other player is increased. Add to that the fact that every 16 chance card draw, someone will pay you ten times the amount!

"Take a walk on the boardwalk ADVANCE TOKEN TO BOARDWALK"

Like the "Illinois avenue" and "St. Charles place" property, the boardwalk square is another property you should keep your eyes on. It is more expensive, but if you already have Park Place in your hand and that you know that this chance card haven't been draw yet, you should consider buying it and improving it as fast has possible. You will have a return on investment real fast (if you don't draw the card yourself of course).

"GO BACK 3 SPACES"

Ok, this one is less obvious but still give a chance to land on your property if you buy the right ones. Take a look at the monopoly gameboard and pay attention to the chance squares. Now, go back three spaces from there and check the property. There is three monopoly chance square on the board but only one of them is interesting. The chance spot inside the red set of property. The one beside "Park Place" brings you back on a community chest square and the one inside the light blue set is even worse since it brings you back on the "INCOME TAX" square. The only interesting chance square in my monopoly strategy is the one besides Kentucky avenue. If you draw this chance card when standing there, it will bring you back on the New York Avenue property. This one won't give a lot of extra incomes but buying New York is not a lost case since it's not expensive and player will land there more often because of the jail.

To exploit this strategy, you need to pay attention to these properties

Reading Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, B&Q railroad and Short Line


Illinois Avenue


St. Charles place


Electric Company and Water Works


Boardwalk


New York Avenue

My other post on Monopoly board game

Monopoly alternative rules part 1
Board changes, railroad tracks to short-circuit some part of the planchette, new monopoly chance cards.

Monopoly alternative rules part 2
New game element like the toll and the taxi, new uses of the monopoly free parking and GO spots.

Monopoly alternative rules final part
Auction revisited, new token to add more strategy, new powers to the owners of the electric company and water works properties.

Monopoly rules

Find out why you should always read the monopoly rules before playing this board game. A list of links to the monopoly rules in various language.