Monopoly Cheaters Edition Rules & How To Play

The Monopoly Cheaters Edition rules are quite different from Classic Monopoly. In this game, players are encouraged to cheat at Monopoly and are rewarded for doing so.

But, you can’t just cheat willy-nilly (unless you’re playing in Ultimate Cheater’s Mode – more on that later). There are still some set rules and instructions that you must follow.

Whether you’ve lost the instructions to your Monopoly Cheaters game or are struggling to interpret them, you should find this simple explanation of the Monopoly Cheaters rules to be useful…

How to Play Monopoly Cheaters Edition

Here’s a full rundown of the Monopoly Cheaters Edition rules, including how to play and, importantly, how to win.

First, let’s make sure you have everything in the box.

If the instructions are missing or you don’t understand them, don’t worry. We’ll explain everything in this guide.

So, beyond the obvious introduction of Cheat cards and a handcuff unit, you’ll notice a couple of other differences here – there are fewer title deed cards, and no houses – only hotels.

That’s because there are no utilities to buy in the Cheaters Edition Monopoly, and while railroads exist, they cannot be bought.

Instead, they simply act as a ‘move forward’ space – we’ll cover that in detail shortly.

And you cannot buy houses in this version of the game. Once you complete a set, you move straight onto a hotel.

The aim of the game and how to win

The object of a game of Monopoly Cheaters Edition is to be the person with the most money at the end of the game. The game ends when all properties have been purchased, and then every player has reached Go.

As soon as the last property has been purchased, you end your game when you reach Go. If you roll to move past Go, you don’t continue – stop at Go, collect your final $200 and wait until other players reach the space.

Once that happens, you collect rent from the bank for the properties that you own.

As per the normal game, you’ll get double rent for each property if you own the set, and if you have a hotel on a property, you collect the hotel rent.

Then, every player counts their cash and whoever has the most is the winner.

The Monopoly Cheater Edition game tokens

The six tokens used in a game of Monopoly Cheaters Edition are based on those in the main game, although they have a slight cheating twist.

How much money do you start with in Monopoly Cheaters Edition?

At the start of a game of Monopoly Cheaters Edition, every player gets $1500. You’re advised not to cheat here and give everyone an equal start – it’s more fun to try the cheats once the game has properly got going.

How to set up Monopoly Cheaters Edition

1. Every player should be given M1500 at the start of the game. Cash should be laid out in front of each player in piles of the same note – you shouldn’t stack your cash in one pile.

2. Put the rest of the money in the bank tray. Note that the bank tray moves player to player in the Cheaters Edition, you shouldn’t nominate one banker.

3. You also need to place a hotel on Connecticut Avenue – it’s free for the player that buys the property, even if they don’t own the set.

4. Shuffle the Chance and Community Chest cards and place them on their respective spots on the board.

6. Shuffle the Cheat cards, and then draw five, placing them on the designated area of the board, face-up so that each cheat is visible.

7. Place the title deed cards next to their relevant spaces, and then put the dice and handcuffs next to the board.

You’re ready to play!

The Monopoly Cheaters Edition board spaces

The Monopoly Cheaters Edition board is a bit different from a classic Monopoly board. Here’s what you need to know…

Properties

In Monopoly Cheaters Edition, properties work in the same way as they do on a traditional Monopoly board. 

Landing on an unowned property

When you land on an unowned property, you must either buy it or auction it:

• If you buy it, pay the cash to the bank and take the title deed card.
• If you auction it, the auction starts at $10 and ends when no one wants to bid higher than the last bid made.
• If nobody wants to bid, then the auction ends, and the space remains unsold for now.

Landing on an owned property

If you land on an owned property, you must pay rent to the owner.

Rent is doubled if the set is owned, and increased further if there is a hotel on the property.

However, if the owner of the property doesn’t ask you for rent before the next player rolls, you don’t owe them anything!

It’s worth noting that not all properties have the same values as standard Monopoly. States Avenue and Atlantic Avenue are much cheaper than they normally would be, and Pennsylvania Avenue is completely free! You just need to land on it to claim it.

Railroads

One of the biggest changes to Monopoly Cheaters Edition is in the railroad spaces.

They still exist but they can’t be bought. Instead, when you land on a railroad you simply move to the next one. Think of it as a little boost to help you get around the board faster.

Go

In Monopoly Cheaters Edition, the Go space works the same as a regular game of Monopoly.

When you land on it or pass it, you collect $200 from the bank. This space also serves as the Finish space once all properties have been purchased.

Chance and Community Chest

Chance and Community Chest cards in Monopoly Cheaters Edition have the same function as in a regular game of Monopoly although you’ll find some of the cards themselves are a little different, with more of a cheating theme.

Some cards are instant use, others you can keep hold of until you need them.

Note that you can only hold one card at a time, so if you draw another one to keep, you need to discard your old card first if you wish to keep the new one.

Free Parking

A little twist on the Free Parking space compared to standard Monopoly – when you land here, you must draw either a Chance or a Community Chest card – your choice!

Just Visiting

Just as in standard Monopoly, if you land on Jail you’re just visiting. There are no penalties for you.

Go To Jail

When you land on the Go To Jail space, that’s exactly what you must do. Go directly to jail, don’t pass Go, and don’t collect $200.

You must also put on the plastic handcuffs and place the base attached to them under the board nearest to you!

If someone else is in jail already, it’s their lucky day as you’ve just freed them! They take off the handcuffs to pass them to you, and on their next turn, they can move as normal.

How to take a turn in Monopoly Cheaters Edition

1. First, check the active cheat cards on the board. Anyone can cheat during your turn, not just you. Plan your cheat if you intend to try one.

2. Roll both dice, and move your token that number of spaces, clockwise around the board.

3. Carry out the action for the space you landed on, including buying or auctioning the property if unowned.

4. If you rolled a double, roll again. (Note that if you roll three doubles in a row, you must go to jail).

5. Once your final action is complete, pass the dice and bank tray to the next player. As soon as they roll, your turn is over.

It’s at this stage, once the dice are rolled, that players can announce any cheats they succeeded with.

How to cheat in Monopoly Cheaters Edition

At any time, there are five active cheats in play. These are displayed in the center of the board. You can try these during your own turn or another player’s turn.

If you complete the cheat and you get away with it, then you should announce it as the next player starts their turn.

Take the cheat card, turn it over and you’ll be told what your reward is. Then, put the cheat card at the bottom of the cheat card pile and replace it on the board.

If someone catches you cheating

If someone catches you cheating, they can shout “Cheat!” at you.

You should admit your failed cheat, turn over the card and follow the punishment instructions, which will often involve a trip to jail or a financial punishment (or both).

If someone wrongly accuses you of cheating

If someone accuses you of cheating, but you’re innocent and can prove it, then they have to pay you a $100 fine.

If you can’t prove it though, then it falls to the rest of the players to make a judgment on who is guilty, and who should be punished.

The cheats in Monopoly Cheater Edition

Here’s a list of all of the Cheat cards in Monopoly Cheaters Edition:

• Pick Pocket – Steal money from another player
• Free Stay – Avoid paying rent when landing on a property owned by another player
• Bank Heist – Steal money from the bank
• Trick Dice – Ignore what’s on the dice and move as many spaces as you want to
• Extra Allowance – When you pass Go, collect $300 instead of $200
• Escape Artist – When in jail, take off the handcuffs
• Price Gouging – Charge a player more rent than they owe
• Squatter’s Rule – Collect rent for a property owned by another player
• Shortchanged – When paying another player, give them less than you owe
• Slippery Deed – Steal a title deed from another player or the bank
• Property Swap – Swap a title deed with another player or the bank
• Unlicensed Contractor – Place a hotel – either from the bank or another player – onto a property you own without paying for it
• Counterfeit Chance – When you take a Chance card, don’t follow the instructions but do something else
• Identify Theft – When it’s your turn, move another player’s token instead
• Surprise Demolition – Remove another player’s hotel from their property

It’s recommended you stick to these cheats, and not just cheat whenever you want to.

However, included in the Monopoly Cheaters Edition rules is the ‘Ultimate Cheater’s Mode’ where you can do whatever you want.

You may decide it’s best to add a few house rules though, to prevent absolute carnage when you play!

Monopoly Cheaters Edition hotel rules

In Monopoly Cheaters Edition, when you complete a color set, you can start building hotels on your property.

You don’t need to wait for your turn to buy a hotel. Pay the hotel cost as shown on the title deed card and put the hotel onto the property. You can only have one hotel per property.

Some Cheat, Chance, or Community Chest cards will involve buying or placing hotels on properties that aren’t part of a set. You can also move hotels sometimes with these cards.

Sometimes, a card may tell you to return a property to the bank. If it has a hotel, leave it on the property. The hotel will then be granted to the next owner of the property (who only needs to pay for the property space, not the hotel).

You can’t sell hotels back to the bank or to other players.

There are 22 properties and only 16 hotels, so not every space can have one. The last hotel in the bank must be auctioned.

Monopoly Cheaters Edition jail rules

When you are in jail, you must wear the handcuff at all times.

You can still take part in much of the rest of the game, including collecting rent, bidding on auctions, buying hotels, and trading. You can also cheat, and catch other cheaters.

The only thing you can’t do is move freely, or play any Chance or Community Chest cards you hold (except Get Out Of Jail Free cards, of course).

Getting out of jail

In Monopoly Cheaters Edition there are five ways you can leave jail:

• Pay $50 at the start of your next turn
• Use a Get Out of Jail Free card. You can also buy one from another player, although they can set their price – it may be cheaper to pay $50
• Roll a double. You get three turns to attempt this, and if you fail the third you must pay $50 and move
• Cheat! If the Escape Artist cheat card is on the board you can try to sneak yourself out of jail without being caught
• If another player is placed in jail, you’re freed automatically

Trading with other players

In Monopoly Cheaters Edition, deals and trades work exactly as they do in regular Monopoly games.

You can trade properties, cash, and Get Out of Jail Free cards at any time. Trades are only successful if both players agree on the deal.

Suggested read: Monopoly Trading Rules

Running out of cash

If you run out of money, then just as in normal Monopoly, you must declare bankruptcy.

If you owe a player then you must give them all of your property, though if you owe the bank then title deeds are returned to the bank instead.

In Monopoly Cheater Edition, hotels remain in place, opening up some potential bargains for the remaining players who could grab a property with a free hotel.

Monopoly Cheaters Edition FAQs

In case I haven’t covered everything, here are the answers to some of the internet’s most commonly asked questions about Monopoly Cheater Edition.

The bottom line

Monopoly Cheaters Edition is a great addition to your game collection if you want something a little different to play.

It’s still heavily rooted in traditional Monopoly gameplay but encourages you to bring out your more sneaky side and try a little bit of cheating. And now you know the rules of Cheaters Monopoly, you can try it with confidence.

If you’re a traditional rule-follower then it can be exciting to try Monopoly for cheaters and cheat ‘with permission’, and with an enthusiastic bunch of players, you can get creative in your misdirection or sleight of hand to pull off some of the more overt cheats in the game.

Just make sure that, if your friends and family enjoy the Cheaters Edition, they keep their cheating to this game. Although if you want to learn how to cheat at Monopoly without getting caught, I have you covered…

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