Monopoly rule which dramatically alters game goes viral
This Christmas, someone is going to have the brilliant idea to switch off the TV and get the family to sit down for a game of Monopoly.
It's inevitable that some family is going to spend the festive season arguing over who gets to be the dog or the car, and then settling down to experience the backstabbing wonders of unrestrained capitalism.
Once you've had the Christmas fight over pieces, you can get into another one over the rules.
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There are plenty who like to use the house rule that landing on 'Free Parking' gives you the money from any fines which players have had to pay.
However, there's one actual official rule which lots of players seem to forget which speeds up the game changes it a lot.
The Monopoly rules state: "Whenever you land on an unowned property you may buy that property from the Bank at its printed price.
"You receive the Title Deed card showing ownership; place it faceup in front of you. If you do not wish to buy the property, the Banker sells it at auction to the highest bidder.
"The buyer pays the Bank the amount of the bid in cash and receives the Title Deed card for that property. Any player, including the one who declined the option to buy it at the printed price, may bid.
"Bidding may start at any price."
It's simple, when you land on a spot in Monopoly you can buy it, and if you don't then everyone gets to bid for it in an auction, including you.
No more properties going to the waste side because someone landed on it once, decided they didn't want it and then nobody's touched it since.
Of course, this rule hands a lot more power to the Banker, who is usually playing on the board as well.
You'll need someone who isn't going to game the system and leverage their power over the auction to hoover up more properties.
If you want to win family Monopoly this year, there's apparently a mathematical hack to the game.
Basically, you should be buying the properties with the highest rates of return on your investment, which sounds sensible, with the Orange and Green spots being the best places for investment.
There are few greater joys than watching someone land on your hotel in Mayfair, but if you want to win you should go for the best chance of returns.
Alternatively, you could listen to Monopoly world champion Nicolò Falcone, who says you should put three houses on each property once you own a complete set.
Falcone also recommends that in the late game you should try and be put in jail, you'll still collect money from players who land on your properties, but you'll be immune from landing on theirs.
Joe Harker