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The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

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Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#51

Post by xahrepap »

cryptoz wrote: post #15

My favorite monopoly games are those where the players have played together before, and agree on a set of custom rules to the game in advance, and are fast-paced. I remember having rules added like loans and interest, and effectively unlimited freedom to make deals with players. Deals logged on paper, loan interest measured in turns and percentages, so much...fun. Actual fun though. A game like this can even go fast…

My favorite variation included these rules:

1 - Double 1s or double 6s: steal any property from any player. 2 - you can build on any property you own. You’re not forced to build evenly and you’re not forced to own a monopoly on that color.

A 2 player game would last an hour, maybe 2 tops. 4 player still took some time but was still fun and exciting :P

Also, with these rules the balance of the game shifted. BW/PP are good, but not the best. Utilities and railroads are pretty lame. The winning properties seemed to me to be, from best to less best: Orange, Red, Pink, Yellow, Green. Orange and red because they’re properties most likely to be landed on after leaving jail. :)

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#52

Post by ALittleLight »

dorkwood wrote: post #14
tobyhinloopen wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

0 in practice, who decides to buy nothing? And even if player one declines to buy, player two can buy it via the auction.

My sister often buys nothing. She has this weird idea that certain colors and utilities aren't worth buying. I beat her every time with my "buy literally everything" strategy.

A good change in rules is prohibiting people from buying with the purchasing price - i.e. every property is sold at auction. Best to also do a single round silent auction where the winner pays second place's bid (e.g. I bid 200, you bid 100, so I get it for 100).

With these rules you will quickly establish that some properties are not worth buying. These rules also have the benefit of making games ~30 minutes long because people run out of money extremely fast.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#53

Post by uptown »

jacquesm wrote: post #48
uptown wrote: post #38

Very timely. I just finished a four-day game of Monopoly this afternoon, winning by having hotels on Boardwalk, Park Place and the green properties.

For once: very apt username :) And congratulations. Not sure if I would have the patience for that.

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.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#56

Post by Stratoscope »

cryptoz wrote: post #15

My favorite monopoly games are those where the players have played together before, and agree on a set of custom rules to the game in advance, and are fast-paced. I remember having rules added like loans and interest, and effectively unlimited freedom to make deals with players. Deals logged on paper, loan interest measured in turns and percentages, so much...fun. Actual fun though. A game like this can even go fast…

Many years ago I was at a church singles retreat, and someone suggested playing Monopoly. At 11:30 at night. With an early worship service scheduled the next morning.

A couple of people groaned about the late hour and how long the game would take.

So I suggested some simple rule changes that make for a faster game.

The pastor's daughter said "we can't do that." She pulled out the Monopoly rules, pointed to the relevant chapter and verse, and said "Look. It Is Written."

People drifted off to do other things or just call it a night.

In hindsight, maybe I should have gone along with her literal interpretation of the rules. After everyone else gave up, it would have been just her and me playing until the wee hours. That might have been nice!

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#57

Post by dylan604 »

snypher wrote: post #39
dylan604 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't roll doubles to get another roll with a single die

You could roll it twice and compare the two results.

You're second roll "trying" for doubles just meant you took a second turn, so you've sort of turned it into bowling style scoring. Pick up the spare, and get another roll.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#58

Post by treeman79 »

sokoloff wrote: post #49
Jyaif wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well played! And this strategy is actually easy to execute. The probability for executing this strategy is: P(3)+P(5)+P(6)+P(8)+P(9)+P(11)+P(12) * P(4). Plug in the numbers from https://statweb.stanford.edu/~susan/courses/s60/split/node65... (0.0556+0.1111+0.1389+0.1389+0.1111+0.0556+0.278)*0.0833 = 0.07407036 So 7.4%.

Times the probability that player 2 decides to bid all of their cash for a single property…

I could see my kids easily getting into a bidding war.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#59

Post by vmception »

CapriciousCptl wrote: post #11

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.

whaaat? I never knew there were auctions if another player didn't purchase. does it occur when a player doesn't have the money to purchase yet too?

the fandom wikipedia page says "Interestingly, this is one of the most-often overlooked aspects of the game." ya don't say.

Re: The Shortest Possible Game of Monopoly (2010)

#60

Post by vmception »

koolba wrote: post #16
CapriciousCptl wrote: post #11

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.

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.

As someone's thats read the many country's and state's constitutions, all major holy books and heavily weighted side-books for different sects

Its surprising I haven't thought to read the rules for Monopoly yet

Could be an onion headline. Constitutional lawyer has never read the Monopoly(R) official rules.

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