Monopoly Deal - Why won't people believe me!

DISCLAIMER: Slightly wordy post with lots of my game design experience rampage.

I bet y'all had played this awesome 90% luck-based game called Monopoly Deal by the Parker Brothers, no? Well, if you live in a cave, it looks like this...

Source: Hasbro's Official Website (http://www.hasbro.com)

Some brief information about this game. This game is a quick card game which can be played up to 6 players but honestly, you wouldn't want too many players playing at once because it takes forever to complete the game. And as the name suggests, this is the card game version of the classic board game "Monopoly". So basically, you have to get 3 sets of property cards to win. Something like this...

Source: Also from Hasbro's website - convenience!! (http://www.hasbro.com)

Yeap. That's how you win. Brief introduction shall end here.

The reason why I'm writing this entry is because there are many different ways to play this game apparently and while in camp, I realized that they are playing it from a different way that I play it. Well, fine by me because in board games history, there are lots of players who do not really follow the rules and they play their own "home rules". 

For instance in the traditional Monopoly board game - you do not get anything when you land on the "Free Parking" slot right? But some home rules allow you to put money collected from the community chests, chances, etc at that slot and whoever lands there gets the money! Cool, no? But unfortunately, that's not how the rules stated it to be.

Back to the Deal card game. A lot of people in Singapore are playing by the rule whereby rearranging your property cards during your turn counts as a move. The purpose of this entry is to say boldly 

"REARRANGING your cards during your turn DOES NOT count as a turn!!"

Yes! It only counts as a turn because you are playing it by your home rule! I have no idea who came up with this home rule because it kinda spoils the game (well, at least to me) but every time I try to explain to someone, no one believes me and that frustrates me.

You doubt a game design student?! Such atrocity!

If you still do not believe me, I shall show you evidence like the bitchy bullshit lawyer I am. :)

Firstly of all, let's look at the OFFICIAL rules.

I presume you know the other rules of Monopoly Deal but I want to bring your attention to this part of the rules. By the way, the official rule sheet can be downloaded online and this is where I extracted the rules from.

So, every player is given 3 turns to play with during their turn. They may either put money or action cards as cash in their own bank, place properties into their own collections or play action cards into the center. Or, the players may choose not to play up to 3 cards and save his cards for later.

Now, I want you to read the rules carefully and tell me which part of the rules suggest that rearranging your properties count as a turn. I dare say that none of the writings above states that. In fact, you can infer that it does not count as a turn. Let's examine...

"You can only reorganize your property collection on your turn. If you realize you've won during someone else's turn, you must wait until it's your turn to say it!"

Looking at the language, this line indeed did not state that rearranging your card counts as a turn, yes? And furthermore, recall which 3 actions count as a card being played?

1. Putting action cards / money into your cash pool

2. Putting property cards down into your collection
3. Playing action cards into the center

None of the moves indicate rearranging the card. Therefore, rearranging the cards during your turn does not count as a card being played FROM YOUR HAND. Read this...

"Play up to 3 cards from your hand, onto the table in front of you."

Considering that the property cards has to be on the table for you to rearrange it (duh!!), it technically does not come out from your hand and therefore, it does not count as a card being played. Yes~ It's all in the language - read the rules carefully!!

I can actually end my case here and DECLARE that rearranging your cards during your turn does not count into your 3 cards played but in case you're still skeptical over my ability to interpret simple rules, I have better evidence.

Q - CAN I REARRANGE MY PROPERTY CARDS DURING MY TURN?

A - Yes, you can. But only on your turn. Moving a Property card around between sets does not count as one of the three cards you can lay on each turn.

Extract taken from http://www.hasbro.com/monopoly/en_US/discover/faq.cfm

Hot from the Hasbro Monopoly Deal's FAQ. If you don't believe my interpretation, at least believe what the official source specifically said. Moving a property card during your turn does not count as one of the three cards you lay on each turn and therefore, you can freely shift your cards around as much as you like so long as you have not declared the end of your turn!

I REST MY CASE!! TAKE THAT!!

And to clarify the usage of the "Just Say No" card, the rule also specifically said that it does not count as a card being played no matter whether it's your turn or not. Yes, please download the official rules in case you've misplaced yours and read carefully! That's why the rules are there in the first place. Plus, the rules are pretty short so don't be lazy~

Still not convinced? Then I honestly have no idea how to enlighten you but I shall try to give you my interpretation on why the game can still be played using this official rules. Come on~ The game is designed in this way in the first place so it will definitely work. Many have told me that they played the "rearranging your property counts as a turn" rule because they said that if they are given the chance to freely rearrange their property cards, then the game will be unfair and will end quickly.

First of all, this game is supposed to be a quick game, not the draggy, traditional board game. Plus, why would it be unfair if all the players are doing it as well? If you refuse to rearrange your cards during your turn, then you are losing out!

My logic is that rearranging your cards freely creates another layer of depth to the game and makes the player play their cards to their maximum advantage. For instance, you can have a few wild cards and you can rearrange your properties to get the maximum rent and at the same time, defend yourself against the Deal Breaker card. Cool, no?

Then people will start to say that the Deal Breaker card would be useless. True to a certain extent but do you know that there are only 2 Deal Breaker cards and a few Sly Deal and Forced Deals? According to the rules, if your property set is full, the latter 2 cards are unable to penetrate those sets and therefore, no players can steal your card. But if you are so fearful of the Deal Breaker, collect the "Just Say No" or better still, rearrange your cards to your advantage and risk them being stolen via the Sly Deal and Forced Deals.

My logic= Deal Breaker may be painful when played against you but there are more Sly Deals and Forced Deals so are you willing to take that chance? Plus, if you are really fearful of the Deal Breaker card, you can always place it as cash and make the card obsolete for the rest of the game.

The game ending quickly... Not true! If everyone is smart enough to work the rearrangement of cards to their advantage, the game can be dragged to a pretty healthy/unhealthy (depending on whether you like long or short games) length. With everyone changing their arrangements, other players have to be more wary of their opponents moves and to think + plan more to penetrate their defenses. However, if make rearrangement of your cards count as a turn, the players will not be given a chance to plan their arrangements and therefore, you take away a crucial part of this already-luck-based game - strategy.

And I shall official end my lawsuit and rest my case for real here.

The reason why I'm so frustrated by people insisting that they are playing it correctly is because they misinterpreted the rules and still dare to tell me that they are playing it correctly. Well, another reason is because I'm so used to these rules and I'm unwilling and probably stubborn to adapt to other home rules that I just have to stand up and be a bitch to tell the whole wide world that they are playing it wrong.

But in games, I believe that most importantly, you have to have fun and that's that. You can bend the rules as much as possible since the game designer won't hunt you down and sit on you for not following his design because ultimately, I believe he wants you to have fun. So long as everyone's having fun in the game, no one would really care about how the game is played, yes? :)

Well, probably except me because I'm a free bitch but still...~~

Let's play the game the correct way, okay? :D