When I was a kid, I stopped playing Monopoly because of my best friend, Bengi. Whenever we sat down to play, he would rally the other players against me, making it the group’s sole purpose to knock me out of the game before even began competing against one another.
As long as Matty lost, everyone else was a winner.
And for reasons that I never understood, it always worked. Game after game, he would turn my friends, coworkers and even my girlfriends against me. Fifteen minutes after the game began, I would inevitably be bankrupt and sitting on the sidelines.
His friends will tell you that Bengi is fixated on making people happy, and this is true. What no one ever realized is that we are best friends because I will allow him to make everyone else happy at my expense.
I’m convenient to his goals.
I’m the perfect foil.
Recently, a couple of monopoly aficionados identified what they believe is the the shortest theoretical game of Monopoly possible. Just two turns long!
A dream scenario for Bengi.
Here are the game as they describe it:
Player 1, Turn 1:
Roll: 6-6, Lands on: Electric Company
Action: None, Doubles therefore roll again
Roll: 6-6, Lands on: Illinois Avenue
Action: None, Doubles therefore roll again
Roll: 4-5, Lands on: Community Chest “Bank error in your favor, Collect $200″
Action: Collects $200 (now has $1700)
Player 2, Turn 1:
Roll: 2-2, Lands on: Income Tax
Action: Pay $200 (now has $1300), Doubles therefore rolls again
Roll: 5-6, Lands on: Pennsylvania Rail Road
Action: None
Player 1, Turn 2:
Roll: 2-2, Lands on: Park Place
Action: Purchase ($350, now has $1350), Doubles therefore rolls again
Roll: 1-1, Lands on: Boardwalk
Action: Purchase ($400, now has $950), Doubles therefore rolls again
Roll: 3-1, Lands on Baltic Avenue
Action: Collect $200 for passing GO (now has $1150), Purchase 3 houses for Boardwalk, 2 for Park Place ($1000, now has $150)
Player 2, Turn 2:
Roll: 3-4, Lands on: Chance, “Advance to Boardwalk”
Action: Advance to Boardwalk, Rent is $1400, only has $1300 = Bankrupt
