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Monopoly is a board game first marketed by Parker Brothers in the 1930s. The game involves using play money to trade real estate (with properties named after locations in Atlantic City, NJ,). It became popular in the United States during the Great Depression.

Although Monopoly is frequently thought to have been invented by Clarence Darrow, its origins actually go back to 1904, when Lizie J. Magie patented a game called "The Landlord's Game". This original game was played in various forms over the years and later became known in some circles as "Monopoly." One version of the game with Atlantic City street names was taught to Clarence Darrow, who then took the game to Parker Brothers.

Monopoly has been produced for international markets, with the place names being localised for cities including London, England and Paris, France amongst others.

In recent years, the owners of the game have created dozens of versions where the names of the properties and other elements of the game are replaced by others with some theme. There are version about National Parks, Star Trek, Disney, various particular cities (as Las Vegas), states, NASCAR, and many others.

The game is played by 2 or more players who move tokens around the edge of a board, in a circular path. There are 40 squares, composed of 28 properties, 3 "Chance" squares, 3 "Community Chest" squares, a "Luxury Tax" square, an "Income Tax" square, "GO", "Jail", "Free Parking" and "Go to Jail". Players take turns in order (as determined by chance prior to the game). A player's turn consists of rolling 2 dice, and advancing on the board the corresponding number of squares.

If the player lands on an unowned property, he may buy it. If he lands on his own property, he does nothing. If he lands on an unmortgaged property owned by an opponent, he pays the opponent rent, as specified on the property's deed.

A player is eliminated from the game when he has no more assets (money plus properties plus buildings). Players may purchase either 1 to 4 houses, or 1 hotel for their properties, which raise the rents that must be paid to them when opponents land on the property. Players may also freely make trades amongst themselves, involving cash and / or properties. This is often done to obtain all the properties in a particular color group.

Special squares

Chance -- the player receives a card which has instructions on it which must be followed. Most of these involve amounts of money, e.g. "Bank error in your favor. Collect $200"

Community Chest -- same as Chance, except a different set of cards.

Luxury Tax -- the player must pay the Bank $75.

Income Tax -- the player must pay the Bank $200 or 10% of his assets. (Most players just pay the $200 after making two trips around the board.)

GO -- the player receives $200 for passing this square, except when going to Jail.

Jail -- the square is divided into two parts "Just Visiting" and the Jail proper. If the player lands on this square through a regular dice roll, he goes to the "Just Visiting" square and no penalty applies. A player can be sent to Jail from the "Go to Jail" square, a combination of die rolls, or a Chance / Community Chest card. A player can leave Jail by paying a fine or by making a successfull dice roll.

Go to Jail -- the player must move his token to Jail

Free Parking -- nothing takes place here.

Properties

22 streets, divided into 8 color groups. A player must own all of a colour group in order to build houses or hotels.

4 railways. Players collect higher rent if they own more than one railway. Hotels and houses cannot be built on railways.

2 utilities. Players collect higher rent if they own both utilities. Hotels and houses cannot be built on utilities.