This Monopoly Deal Strategy section has a list of strategies related to minimizing your opponents ability to take your best cards and protecting your properties through different bank, payment, and property layout techniques. These strategies do not break any of the official Monopoly Deal Rules and have been used by us and other monopoly deal players to successfully win.
Early on in the game it may be better to pay with undesirable, low Rent, low value properties before paying with money from your Bank. A big Bank is almost always a necessity to win the game and it’s very important to build a bank early on in the game.
If you don’t have a big Bank avoid holding your Railroads and 1M properties in your hand since they may be better served on the table early in the game. Railroads and 1M properties are not very desirable by your opponents but count towards your property and money cushion when you’re charged Rent
Remember the “No Change” rule. Since you can’t give change it’s important to always try and keep some low 1M and 2M bills in your Bank so that you’re not forced to pay a 1M Rent with your 5M bill.
Always try to “show” the least valuable side of a dual color wild property card and hide the more valuable side. For example always “show” the Railroad side of the Railroad property wildcards. Railroad properties are least desired by opponents so it’s better to hide the valuable side from opponents sight. Players will be more likely to dismiss your railroad cards and take from someone else with more valuable cards showing.
Always hide your money in a single pile, never spread out your Bank bills, and always pick up your Bank to pick out cards to pay Rent with so opponents can’t see how much money you really have. Knowing an opponent’s Bank size and denominations is a big advantage when deciding when and who to charge Rent.
Never keep the dual color wild property cards on the top of a two+ card stack (hide the wild). The objective is to keep your opponents knowledge of your cards, Bank, and hand to a minimum. This includes the cards you already have on the table.
Strategy Examples:If you have two Railroad cards on the table stacked together and one is a Railroad/Dark Green Wild Card always place that card under the other Railroad card so your opponents can’t see the Dark Green Wild and won’t know if it’s worth taking. (Remember opponents can’t touch your cards so they can only ask for what they see)
During the first couple of rounds of the game the higher denomination bills are less desirable so keep them on top of stack. If an opponent can choose between getting a single 5M bill from you or multiple bills from your opponent, they will most likely choose your opponent since building a large number of bills is critical early in the game.
After the first couple of rounds always try to keep 1M cards on top of your Bank money pile. Opponents may be less likely to go after a player with a 1M card showing than a player with a 5M card showing (Remember the No Change Rule).
There are some players who believe If you have the 10M bill (remember there is only one) its good strategy to always keep it as the top card in your Bank. The idea is that most players would prefer several bills as payment vs. just one. It also helps give the perception that it will take a lot for your opponents to get through your Bank and access your properties.