Monopoly Deal from Hasbro Gaming

                In my house, we have a Monopoly lover and a Monopoly hater.  I think that’s a true scale for the game of Monopoly, it brings out strong emotions.  Most have a definitive view on the game of Monopoly.

                However, we have been able to find a game of compromise in Monopoly Deal from Hasbro Gaming.  In fact, this game has become a regular in our morning basket it’s so agreeable.

                Oh, and did I mention, it’s actually a quick version?  I know that the word “quick” seems at odds with the game of Monopoly, but it’s rare for a game to extend beyond twenty minutes.  We tend to talk and goof around quite a bit while playing, and even so, we still manage to finish in about twenty minutes or less.

                Monopoly Deal is a card game, so there’s no board.  It is a game for two to five players.  The goal is still to collect full sets of properties – a monopoly.  The first player to collect three property sets wins the game.  Each property card tells how many cards are needed to complete a set in each group. 

                Each player is dealt five cards.  The remaining cards make the draw pile.

                To begin the turn, the player takes two cards from the draw pile.  The player is then allowed to take a total of three actions in any combination.  The player may also choose to do one action three times.  Fewer actions may also be taken.

Any extra cards in your hand at the end of your turn are put on the bottom of the draw pile.

             

  The possible actions a player may take on their turn include:

• Putting money into their bank pile (this is the only place a player can pay out from)
• Placing properties down
• Play cards to the center – here you can charge rent, steal properties, etc.

It is an easy game to play, but I recommend playing at least one practice round first.  There are quite a few action cards, and it helps to talk about what they all mean and how to play them.             

Information about the cards and game play:

• Money paid out to other players always comes from “the bank” never from your hand
• All cards can be used as money, but once they’re declared as “money”, they can not be used as anything else.
• There are several cards that allow properties to be taken, including completed sets.
• Some cards are defensive, a player can use them to block an action.  These cards can prevent cards from being taken or money being paid out.  These cards are used in immediate response to an action card played, so they are played during another’s turn.
• Wild cards are exactly that.  They can be used to complete a set.  They may be reused in different sets as desired during your turn.
• There are house and hotel cards which increase the amount of rent that can be collected.
• A player can demand payment from the other players by playing the “Debt Collector”, “It’s My Birthday”, and “Rent” cards.
• There is a “Go” card which allows the player to take additional cards from the draw pile.

If you have people who do not like their properties taken from them then this is not the game for them.  Other than that, it’s a fun, quick compromise to the full Monopoly editions.  And you won’t be playing the same game three days later.

So, what’s the verdict on Monopoly in your home, do you have fans of the game?