I don't remember the exact details of the rules "back then" although I recall once playing with a set that had wooden houses and hotels if that tells you anything.

This past xmas I knew there'd be some downtime with the fam so I picked up a set on the way to Grandma's house. That's how I discovered that my fourteen year old niece is a monopoly whiz. Apparently when she plays with her step-brothers they put any taxes, fees, etc into the middle of the board and whoever lands on Free Parking gets it. Then they throw $500 in for seed money for the next round. I remember doing something like that back in the day, but I also remember it not necessarily being a real game rule. Possibly a folk rule. It certainly does move things along and make the occasional free parker more able to gobble up the properties.

I don't think it was ever an official rule. (I used to have an old monopoly set that we played into the ground and I remember someone from another family saying it wasn't a rule and being shocked to find out they were right). Since it seems to be a widely accepted way of playing, they should probably update the rules. If Websters dictionary can add slang every year, I think the makers of Monopoly can update as well...
-Mimi

Good...so I'm not going nuts! however, of course, our "folk rule" meant that the game would last even longer as I know the free parking saved more than one person's heiny....Actually, our "rule" makes more sense because what does free parking mean otherwise??? I guess it is better than landing in Jail which I seemed to do a lot of the last time I played (sent by "chance" and community chest cards of course...). My sil and I were also commenting on how when we were kids, we didn't know enough to buy every single piece of property we could....whereas now, she and I are property barons...but my dd isn't far behind... :)

Lisa, are you playing an English version of the game or an American version. If you are playing with an English version I think you are cheating. Having spent a month in the old dart recently, i can assure you that there is no such thing as free parking.
Alas, didn't get to old Kent Road, but visited Mayfair. Couldn't afford to buy anything. Just peeped in the windows of real estate agents and kept shaking my head. Even rich americans would feel poor there.

The buying of property doesn't always help. I tried that method when playing Monopoly and I still wound up on the losing side. When I brought property, I ended up with not enough money for when I landed on other people's property. Maybe it's just me. My mother tried that method including adding hotels on her properties and ended up with everyone's money. I think the family cat sympathized with us other players because she got up and knocked over all my mother's hotels when she started taking all of our money with all the hotels and same color properties.

Lol..Arthur, only the American Version here...but the deluxe edition(which surprisingly was on sale at Christmastime a few years ago for less than the standard version) has been pretified with LOTS of metal pieces which are gold colored....I just remembered the old white metal pieces when I was young (er ; ) ).

Yep, Mayfair. Pretty place. I had friends who lived there when I visited in 1981...kind of floored me that they were living in 18th century town houses....and lordy, what beautiful places.....but they could have bought and sold me several times over and lord knows I'm not cheap! Just ask my husband!

Did you guys see this article? Seems like some of the romance is going away. I think some things just don't need an update but maybe I am just getting old. Harumph!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Monopoly

I heard about this. Part of the fun of board games is the parts and pieces. And part of the fun of Monopoly is the passing around the bills and counting and sorting them (and if you're the banker the "under the table" loans ;) Not to mention the fact that if you're playing with younger kids it's enforcing their counting and math skills. I'll keep my "analog currency" version, thankyouverymuch.

Me too! ICK! I suppose we're just becoming antiquated like my analog watch.

I actually haven't seen many digital watches lately. Maybe it's just where I shop.

I occasionally tease a friend of mine because he has an old car with "analog windows" that you have to crank up and down. How primitive.

How about front window vents?