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The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

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Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#101
post #94

This isn't a legal Monopoly game at all. When you land on an unowned property you have to buy it or auction it. "No action" is not a legal option.

No one is required to purchase during an auction, everyone could pass. Simply insert in the directions in the appropriate places "...put the property up for auction and everyone passes immediately."

Well, OK, here we run into a bit of a problem, in that the rules don't actually specify how the auction is conducted, so what happens if everybody passes is kind of just undefined. What you say is one reasonable interpretation. However, there is no interpretation that leaves these games as the shortest.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#102
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No one is required to purchase during an auction, everyone could pass. Simply insert in the directions in the appropriate places "...put the property up for auction and everyone passes immediately."

Well, OK, here we run into a bit of a problem, in that the rules don't actually specify how the auction is conducted, so what happens if everybody passes is kind of just undefined. What you say is one reasonable interpretation. However, there is no interpretation that leaves these games as the shortest.

What would you imagine happens if everyone passes? It would be absurd for the rules to require a player to bid who does not want to bid, particularly if they did not write that out.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#103
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’d be surprised how few people know about the rule for auctioning property that is not purchased. I’m guessing most people learned to play without reading the actual rules. It’s just passed down by copying the actions of your older siblings.

I didn't! And it's interesting I just read the 1st player who declines to buy can participate in the auction. How often would an opponent be willing to pay more than list price? I guess to secure like the 2nd blue property. Otherwise it seems like should always just decline to buy and hope for good auction outcome. And if your opponent good to auction too. Though maybe mortgaging properties if you have a good opportu…

Often the “lesser” properties go to auction and it can be worth trying to get them for less than the mortgage value.

If you land on a high-value property you want to buy it outright mainly to deny the monopoly possibilities to others (high value being the orange, etc).

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#104

If you drop some presumptions about the players you can go even faster-- Player 1: Roll a 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 or 12. Don't purchase, so it goes to auction. In auction player 2 buys for 100% of their cash. Player 2: Rolls a 4, lands on income tax. Game over.

Wait... if you land on a property and don’t buy it it goes to auction where other players can bid (and start a bidding war)? My childhood has been shattered.

Real monopoly dissolves down to a cutthroat game of diplomacy around the auctions and trying to trade for a monopoly.

It’s brutal and not at all kid friendly unless you like making children cry.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#105
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A very useful thing if you know everyone else is low on cash. More than once I've landed on an expensive property I wanted, but sent it up for auction knowing that nobody else could afford to bid up to face value.

Wait the person that landed on it can also participate in the auction!? Wwwhat I need to see experienced people playing this game by the official rules or whatever the consensus is, since official seems to change over time too

Yes, everyone can bid. You can use this to get properties for less than the mortgage value and then immediately mortgage it.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#106
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You would pay 10% of your wealth for income tax, so you could always mortgage your one property and pay the 10% of the mortgage value.

Newer editions remove the 10% option [edit] Per the Monopoly Wikia the British edition was always a fixed amount and the US edition as well since 2008.

Wait whaaaaat how come nobody told me monopoly went to flat tax!

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#108
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A rainy weekend with a couple young kids. I normally wouldn't either, but I remember "being them" as a kid -- asking my parents/grandparents to play Monopoly whenever possible, so I try not to resist despite the time commitment the game requires.

That’s commitment! I would rather drive them to the nearest board game shop, have them pick any other game :)

I should crowdfund a Candyland/Monopoly cross-over.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#109
post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, OK, here we run into a bit of a problem, in that the rules don't actually specify how the auction is conducted, so what happens if everybody passes is kind of just undefined. What you say is one reasonable interpretation. However, there is no interpretation that leaves these games as the shortest.

What would you imagine happens if everyone passes? It would be absurd for the rules to require a player to bid who does not want to bid, particularly if they did not write that out.

Why would it be absurd for the game to require that? It could just require that the person landing on it bid $1 as penalty for landing there. Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Besides, you can always immediately mortgage a property so it's always worth buying it for less than the mortgage price. The only situation I could imagine where everyone would pass is if everyone has exactly zero dollars, no houses and no unmortgaged properties, so nobody can afford to buy it for a dollar. In that extremely rare event, triggering bankruptcy of whoever landed on the property seems more reasonable to me than "nothing happens" because at least it advances the game.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#110
post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These deals aren't allowed by the rules.

As far as I can tell, they aren't explicitly disallowed. The rules do disallow lending to another player: > MISCELLANEOUS… No player may borrow from or lend money to another player. [1] I could see two arguments: First, board games rules generally do not need to contain a list of everything not allowed. In Risk you are not allowed to gift your tanks to another power in exchange for them not attacking you. By this log…

Any sufficiently advanced game of monopoly is a violation of SEC rules.
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