Monopoly Rules

The rules for playing monopoly are not difficult. However, playing the game can take hours or even days to complete. Below are three sets of rules. One set of rules discusses the Regular play rules, the second set of rules describes the Short Version and the third set explains the rules for a game with a preset time limit. All sets of rules are based on the original Monopoly game. Any way that it is played, Monopoly is a fun game that will bring family and friends together for great laughs and a little healthy competition.

Monopoly's Long Version Rules

The rules for Monopoly can be quite lengthy. They have been reduced to their most simplified form below. The long rules for Monopoly are indeed…long… The long version is perfect for cold winters, hot summers, rainy days or other days where it is just perfect to spend a few hours laughing and earning a few “play” bucks.

Preparation: The Board needs to be placed on a table or flat surface with plenty of room to spread out. The Chance cards and Community Chest cards should be placed face down on their marked spots on the game board after they have been shuffled thoroughly. Each player then picks a token. Each player receives the following play money: (2)$500’s, (2)$100’s and (2)$50’s; (6)$20’s; (5)$10’s, (5)$5’s and (5)$1’s. The rest of the money and pieces are the property of the Bank…for now.

Banker: Pick one player to be the Banker (and Auctioneer). That person must not co-mingle his own money with the money of the Bank.

The Bank: The Bank has many duties: It is in charge of distributing the Title Deed cards, houses and hotels and collects payment on all properties sold or auctioned; it makes payment on salaries (for example, when passing “GO”); if needed, it can make a loan on a mortgage; it collects on any taxes, fines, penalties. Bankruptcy is impossible for the Bank. Additional currency can be created on household paper, if needed.

Beginning to Play: Play starts with the player who rolls the highest number on the dice. Play begins on the corner of the board that is marked “GO”. Roll the dice and move the appropriate number of spaces per the number on the dice. When your turn is over, the player to the left rolls the dice next. Multiple tokens can rest on the same square on the game board simultaneously. When you land on a space, several options may be available to you depending on the features of that space. For example you could potentially: purchase the property, pay rent to someone who has already purchased the property, pay taxes, draw from the Chance or Community Chest cards, “Go to Jail”. Note: If you roll doubles, you play your move as usual; however, you get to roll the dice again before the next player gets his or her chance to roll the dice. Also note that if doubles are rolled three times in a row, you must go immediately to the space marked as Jail.

“GO”: If a player lands on or passes over the GO square on the game board, the Banker will pay $200 (salary). It is possible to collect $400 if a player passes “GO” via the throw of the dice (and receives $200) and lands on either Chance or Community Chest square. Both groups of cards have an “Advance to GO” card so that another $200 can be collected, if that card is drawn.

Buying Property: If a player lands on property that no one owns, that player can purchase the property from the Bank for the price printed on the game board. In exchange for the purchase price, the Bank will give the new owner the Title Deed card. The Title Deed card should be placed face up. If that player does not want to purchase the property, the Banker can auction it off – sale goes to the highest bidder. After the auction, the bank will receive the money that was bid and the new owner will receive the Title Deed card. All players are eligible to bid and bidding does not have a set start price.

Rent: If a player lands on property that another player owns, the property owner can collect rent pursuant to the Title Deed card. Mortgaged properties forfeit the right to collect rent (the Title Deed card is placed face down). Double rent can be charged, for un-mortgaged properties, if a player owns all the Title Deed cards for a particular color-group where improvements (houses and hotels) have not been made. The rent goes up if houses or hotels are constructed on the properties. Note: If rent is not collected before the next player rolls the dice, it is too late to collect it.

Chance and Community Chest Cards: Pick the top card from the deck (either Chance or Community Chest depending on which space you land on). The card will tell you what action needs to occur. Complete the directive and return the card to the bottom of the stack. Note: If the “Get Out of Jail Free” card is picked, it can be retained until it is used and then it should be placed on the bottom of the stack. The “Get Out of Jail Free” card can be sold at any time to another player of any price negotiated between the players.

Income Tax: Either pay a flat rate of $200 to the Bank, or calculate your assets and pay 10% to the Bank. Assets include: cash; mortgaged and un-mortgaged property prices, as printed; all building prices (houses and hotels). Note: You cannot calculate your assets and then decide which option is cheaper.

Jail: A player can end up in jail through several methods: (1) if the player’s rolls the dice and lands on the “Go to Jail” square; (2) a card is drawn by the player indicating that he/she must “Go to Jail”; (3) if a player rolls doubles on the dice three times in a row. To get out of jail a player must: (1) roll doubles during one of the next three chances to roll the dice (then move ahead but do not roll again); (2) utilize the “Get out of Jail Free” card if it is your possession; (3) bid on a “Get Out of Jail Free” card if another player possesses it; (4) pay a $50 fine before rolling the dice on the next two opportunities; (5) after the third turn, if doubles have not been rolled, pay the $50 fine and move ahead spaces per the dice. Note: If you are heading to hail you cannot collect the $200. Your turn ends in Jail. You are not in jail if you simply land on the Jail square on the game board. In that case, you are “Just Visiting”. While you are in Jail, property (including houses and hotels) may be bought and sold and rent may be collected.

Free Parking: A place to rest without penalty.

Houses: When all the properties in specific color-group are owned by one player, that player can begin to purchase houses from the Bank. If only one house is purchased, it can be located on any one of the properties in that color-group. Additional houses must be placed on the other properties in that color-group before a property can receive a second house. The cost to add a house to a property is located on the Title Deed Card for that property. Double rent is collected for unimproved properties of a complete color-group. House bay be purchased at any time, as long as they are distributed evenly through a color-group. For example, three houses cannot be located on one property of a color-group if one property of that color-group only has one house. Note: If you sell property, it must be sold evenly, as well.

Hotels: When four houses are purchased on each property of a specific color-group, a hotel may be purchased from the Bank for the price on the Title Deed Card and the four houses are returned to the Bank. Note: Limited to one hotel per property.

Building Shortages: If the Bank runs out of houses to sell, other players must return or sell their houses to the Bank before any building can occur. If two or more players are competing over the purchase of the last few houses or hotels in the Bank’s possession, they can be auctioned to the highest bidder.

Selling Property: Private sales in any negotiated amount can be made between players for unimproved properties, railroads and utilities. Any buildings must be sold back to the Bank, for ½ the price paid, before the property of that color-group can be sold. Buildings must be sold evening, in the reverse order that they were purchased. Hotels for one color-group may be simultaneously sold, or sold evenly, one house at a time. Note: five houses equal one hotel.

Mortgages: Mortgages can be obtained for unimproved properties at any time, as long as any buildings are sold back to the Bank for half price paid. The Title Deed card lists the mortgage price. Rent cannot be collected on mortgaged properties or utilities. For a mortgage to be lifted, the amount of the mortgage plus 10% interest must be paid to the Bank. When the properties of a particular color-group are no longer mortgaged, the owner can re-purchase any buildings at full price. When a property is mortgaged, the player retains possession of it; however, the owner can negotiate the sale of a mortgaged property with another player. If sold, the new owner can lift the mortgage immediately by paying the Bank the amount of the mortgage plus 10% interest. If such payment is not paid immediately, the Bank must be paid 10% interest when the property is purchased from the other player and then another 10% interest and the mortgage amount to lift the mortgage (so a total of 20% interest on the property value would be paid).

Bankruptcy: Bankrupt can be declared if a player owes more than he/she can pay to another player or the Bank. When another player is owed money, relinquish all assets of value to that player and then when nothing is left, the game is over for that player. Houses or hotels must be returned to the Bank and the Bank will pay one-half the amount paid for them. The money earned will be given to the player to whom the debt is owed. Mortgaged property will be given to the creditor but the new owner must at once pay the Bank 10% of the property’s value. Then, the new creditor may decide to lift the mortgage. If the debt is owed to the Bank, assets must be given to the Bank. The Bank will immediately auction off any property taken, excluding houses or hotels. A bankrupt player is out of the game.

Winning: The last player remaining wins the game.

Rules for the Short Version of Monopoly

The rules for the short game of Monopoly are…short…:

Preparation: The Banker shuffles the Title Cards and then deals three Title Deed cards to each player. No payment is required for these three, FREE Title Cards.

Houses: Only three houses are needed on each color-specific property before a hotel can be purchased. The re-sale value remains one-half the purchase price (for the short game it is one house less than in the regular game).

Jail: If you go to Jail, you exit on your next turn by: (1) utilizing a “Get Out of Jail Free” card (either picked from the deck or purchased off of another player); or (2) rolling doubles on the dice; or (3) paying $50. Note: You can attempt to roll doubles, upon not rolling doubles you can pay $50 during that turn.

Income Tax: Only a flat rate of $200 is assessed.

Winning: As soon as ONE player goes bankrupt, the game ends. The players who are still in the game assess their value by calculating their cash; land, utilities and railroads owned (per the game board price); any mortgaged property owned one-half the price printed on the board; any houses at purchase price; and any hotels at purchase price including the value of the three houses turned in. Who ever is the richest player is the winner.

Rules for a Short game with a Preset Time Limit

Choose a duration for the game before play begins. For example, decide that the game will end after 70 minutes of play. The Banker deals two shuffled Title Deed cards to each player. Player pay the Bank the amount owed for those properties. The game then proceeds, as usual. At the end of the pre-set time limit, the richest player is the winner.