Monopoly

Complete Rules & How to Play

Players: 2-8 players Age: 8+ Duration: 60-180 min Category: Board Games

Monopoly is the world's most famous board game. Buy properties, build houses and hotels, collect rent, and bankrupt your opponents to win!

1. Objective

Be the last player remaining with money. Drive your opponents into bankruptcy by buying properties, collecting rent, and building houses and hotels.

2. Setup

  1. Unfold the board and place it on the table.
  2. Each player chooses a token and places it on GO.
  3. One player is chosen as the Banker.
  4. Each player receives $1,500 divided as: 2x $500, 2x $100, 2x $50, 6x $20, 5x $10, 5x $5, 5x $1.
  5. Shuffle the Chance and Community Chest cards and place them on the board.

3. How to Play

On each turn:

  1. Roll both dice and move your token that many spaces clockwise.
  2. Take action based on the space you land on (see below).
  3. If you roll doubles, take another turn. Three doubles in a row sends you to Jail.

Landing on Properties

  • Unowned property — You may buy it at the listed price. If you don't, it goes to auction.
  • Owned property — Pay rent to the owner. Rent increases with houses and hotels.

Special Spaces

  • GO — Collect $200 when you pass or land on it.
  • Income Tax — Pay $200.
  • Chance / Community Chest — Draw a card and follow its instructions.
  • Jail — Just visiting (unless sent to jail).
  • Go to Jail — Go directly to jail. Do not pass GO.
  • Free Parking — Nothing happens (in official rules).
  • Luxury Tax — Pay $100.

4. Building Houses & Hotels

Once you own all properties in a color group (a monopoly), you can build houses.

  • You must build evenly across the color group.
  • After 4 houses on each property, you can upgrade to a hotel.
  • Houses and hotels dramatically increase the rent other players must pay.

5. Jail Rules

You go to jail if you:

  • Land on "Go to Jail"
  • Draw a "Go to Jail" card
  • Roll doubles three times in a row

To get out of jail:

  • Pay $50 at the start of your next turn
  • Use a "Get Out of Jail Free" card
  • Roll doubles on your next turn (you get 3 attempts)
  • After 3 failed attempts, you must pay $50 and move

6. Bankruptcy & Winning

If you owe more than you can pay, you must:

  1. Sell houses and hotels back to the bank at half price.
  2. Mortgage properties.
  3. If you still can't pay, you are bankrupt and out of the game.

The last player remaining wins!

Special Cards

Go: Collect $200 salary as you pass. Every time you land on or pass this corner, the Bank pays you $200.
Chance: Draw a Chance card and follow its instructions. Cards may move you to a new space, charge you money, or reward you.
Community Chest: Draw a Community Chest card and follow its instructions. These often involve collecting or paying small amounts of money.
Income Tax: Pay $200 to the Bank immediately. No choice — this is a mandatory payment when you land on this space.
Luxury Tax: Pay $100 to the Bank. Another mandatory tax space near the end of the board.
Go to Jail: Go directly to Jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. You must roll doubles or pay $50 to get out.
Free Parking: Nothing happens. This is just a resting space — no rent, no penalty, no reward (in official rules).
Get Out of Jail Free: Keep this card until needed. Play it to leave Jail without paying $50 or rolling doubles. Can be sold to another player.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you collect $400 for landing on GO?

A: No. The official rules state you collect $200 whether you land on or pass GO. The $400 rule is a common house rule but not official.

Q: What happens when you land on Free Parking?

A: Nothing! In official rules, Free Parking is just a rest space. The popular house rule of collecting money from the center is not in the official rules.

Q: Can you buy properties on your first trip around the board?

A: Yes! You can buy any unowned property you land on from your very first roll.

Generated from GameRules — https://gamerules101.com/game/monopoly/