In the world of board games, few titles are as iconic and universally recognized as Monopoly. This classic game, first published by Parker Brothers in 1935, has been a staple in households worldwide for generations. While the traditional Monopoly board game comes with a physical rulebook, many players prefer a printable version for convenience or to create their own custom rules. This article will guide you through the standard Monopoly board game rules, providing a printable version for your gaming pleasure.
Before we dive into the rules, let's briefly discuss the objective of Monopoly. The primary goal is to become the wealthiest player through buying, selling, and trading properties, developing them with houses and hotels, and collecting rent from your opponents with the goal being to drive them into bankruptcy.
Setting Up the Game
The first step in playing Monopoly is setting up the game board and pieces. The game board represents a city layout with various properties, railroads, and utilities. Each player chooses a token to represent themselves on the board. The tokens include a car, a top hat, a thimble, a boot, a Scottie dog, a cat, a battleship, and a T-Rex.
Next, shuffle the deck of 32 Community Chest cards and 16 Chance cards separately and place them face down on their respective spaces on the board. Place the 32 Title Deed cards in a pile near the board. Give each player $1,500 in Monopoly money, divided as follows: two $500 bills, four $100 bills, one $50 bill, five $20 bills, five $10 bills, five $5 bills, and five $1 bills.
Choosing the Banker
The player who will be the banker is determined by having all players roll the dice. The player with the highest roll becomes the banker and is responsible for handling all transactions and keeping track of each player's wealth. The banker should also keep the bank's money and property cards organized.
After the banker is chosen, each player rolls the dice again to determine the starting player. The player with the highest roll goes first and play proceeds clockwise around the board.
Gameplay Overview
On their turn, a player rolls the two dice and moves their token clockwise that number of spaces along the board. If the player lands on an unowned property, they may buy it by paying the bank the amount listed on the Title Deed card. If the player chooses not to buy the property, the banker auctions it to the highest bidder.
If a player lands on an owned property, they must pay the owner the rent listed on the Title Deed card. The rent amount increases if the property has houses or hotels on it. If a player cannot pay the rent, they must mortgage properties to the bank to raise the funds. If a player cannot pay rent or mortgage properties, they are bankrupt and out of the game.
Special Spaces on the Board
The Monopoly board contains several special spaces that can affect gameplay. These include Community Chest, Chance, Income Tax, Luxury Tax, Jail, and Go to Jail. Landing on these spaces triggers specific actions that can benefit or hinder a player's progress.
Community Chest and Chance
Community Chest and Chance cards are drawn when a player lands on the respective spaces. These cards contain various instructions, such as collecting money, paying money, moving spaces, or other actions that can affect gameplay. The banker shuffles the cards and places them face down on their respective spaces at the beginning of the game.
When a player lands on a Community Chest or Chance space, they draw the top card and follow the instructions. After the card is drawn, it is placed at the bottom of the deck. Some cards may be discarded and not returned to the deck, such as "Income Tax Refund" or "Doctor's Fee."
Income Tax and Luxury Tax
Landing on the Income Tax or Luxury Tax spaces requires the player to pay a flat rate to the bank. The Income Tax rate is 10% of the player's total wealth, while the Luxury Tax rate is a flat $75. If a player cannot pay the tax, they must mortgage properties to the bank to raise the funds.
Jail and Go to Jail
Landing on the "Go to Jail" space or drawing a "Go to Jail" card sends a player to the Jail space. While in Jail, a player cannot collect rent or move their token until they are released. A player can be released from Jail by rolling doubles on their next turn, using a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, or paying a $50 fine to the bank.
If a player rolls doubles on their first roll after landing on the "Go to Jail" space, they are not sent to Jail and may move their token normally. If a player rolls doubles on any subsequent roll while in Jail, they are released and may move their token normally on their next turn.
Buying and Trading Properties
One of the primary aspects of Monopoly gameplay is buying and trading properties to build wealth and drive opponents into bankruptcy. To maximize profits, players should aim to own entire sets of properties in the same color group, as this allows them to build houses and hotels, increasing the rent they can charge.
Buying Properties
When a player lands on an unowned property, they have the option to buy it from the bank. The cost of the property is listed on the Title Deed card. If the player chooses not to buy the property, the banker auctions it to the highest bidder. If a player buys all the properties in a color group, they have a "monopoly" and can begin building houses and hotels.
Players can also buy properties from other players during the game. The selling player sets the price, and the buying player can choose to accept or decline. If the buying player accepts, they pay the selling player the agreed-upon price, and the Title Deed card is transferred to the buying player.
Building Houses and Hotels
Once a player owns all the properties in a color group, they can begin building houses and hotels to increase the rent they can charge. Houses cost $50 each to build, while hotels cost $500. A player can build up to four houses on each property in a color group, or they can sell the houses and build a hotel instead.
To build a hotel, a player must first have four houses on each property in the color group. The player can then sell the houses back to the bank for $50 each and build a hotel for $500. If a player wants to build more houses or hotels, they must first sell the existing ones back to the bank.
Winning the Game
The objective of Monopoly is to become the wealthiest player and drive your opponents into bankruptcy. A player is considered bankrupt when they cannot pay rent or mortgage properties to raise the funds. When a player goes bankrupt, they are out of the game, and the remaining players continue playing until only one player remains.
The last player remaining is declared the winner and is crowned the wealthiest player in the game. They have successfully outmaneuvered their opponents, bought and sold properties strategically, and built their empire to become the ultimate Monopoly champion.
Monopoly is a classic board game that has been enjoyed by generations of players. With its printable rules, you can now easily set up and play the game with friends and family. So gather your tokens, roll the dice, and let the games begin!