Monopoly Tactics

The Best Monopoly Tactics and Tips for Winning

One of America's favorite board games, Monopoly is a game that combines a bit of luck with smart strategy and the ability to wheel and deal with your opponents. Building up your real estate holdings and improving your property is the key to winning the game.

Buying Properties

Anytime you land on a property that is not owned by any other player, you have the opportunity to purchase it. You should almost always try to purchase any property you can, hopefully getting the complete set to form a monopoly. Once you own a property, you can begin collecting rent each time an opponent lands there. You can increase the amount of rent by owning a monopoly. Buying houses or hotels will give you even greater rental returns.

Trading Properties

Monopoly TacticsAny time it is your turn to roll the dice, you can initiate negotiations with any of your fellow players to buy or trade for properties they may own. Usually, you will negotiate when your opponent holds a property that you need to complete your monopoly. Trades can be single properties or part of a package of properties. You can even make trades between multiple players if you are able to get everyone to agree on the deal. The better you are able to negotiate deals, the better you will be able to increase the value of your real estate holdings.

Using Money Wisely

It is always good to have money on hand. You will need money to buy properties or pay rent when you land on properties owned by someone else. You also may need money if you are unfortunate enough to have to "Go to Jail" or drawer a card from Community Chest or Chance that directs you to make a payment.

A Little Luck

When the game first begins, you want to land on and buy as many unencumbered properties as possible. Therefore, the roll of the dice plays a key part in the success you will have for the entire game. As the game progresses and all the properties are bought, you will try to avoid landing on properties owned by others and land only on your properties. There are several safe spaces which are not owned by anyone and one key space called "Free Parking" If you land here, you not only get to stay for free, you also win any money that has been put into the pot. Money accumulates in the pot anytime someone has to pay a fee or penalty during the game. Some people play by initially funding the "Free Parking" jackpot with $500.00 from the bank.

The Best Properties

Owning the best properties is one excellent way to improve your chances of winning. Boardwalk and Park Place, allow you to receive the highest rents, but the chances of an opponent landing on either is not that great. It is better to own a whole side of the board, like the 3 green properties that lead up to Boardwalk and Park Place. If you have the whole side, your chances of collecting rent improve greatly.

Spreading Out Your Properties

Owning properties on all sides of the board is another very good strategy. That way, with every roll of the dice, an opponent has a pretty good chance of landing on one of your properties and having to pay you rent.

Building Houses and Hotels

The more houses and/or hotels you manage to place on your properties, the more rent you can collect. Don't spend every last dollar you have on houses, because if you land on another player's property, you will have to liquidate some or all of your houses at half the price you paid for them.