It’s the game where you can go from the richest in town, to slammed into jail with all your assets hanging on a few missed turns. For Alicia Hind, the money may be fake but the competition is real. 

Undeterred by whether she is the silver boot or the metal rod, Alicia says a combination of both luck and skill is what got her to the National Monopoly Championships held in Sydney on May 15.

“It has always been my favourite board game since I was a very little girl,” the NSW representative explained. 

“I think it’s because you get to play with money and have the chance to be rich!”

The National Monopoly Championships are run around the world every four to six years. 

The last competition was held in 2009 in every state in Australia. In 2015 the competition went straight to the national level

Having to compete against over 2000 people in an online quiz about Monopoly trivia, Alicia was anxious to get her hands on one of the 24 spaces available. 

“I wasn't one of the original 24 but must have only been a few down the list as I got in on a wild card to replace someone that couldn't make it on the day,” she explained.

“There were four of us on the day that played as wild cards and at least another four attended as wild cards, in case they needed to step in last minute on the day.”

Alicia said she's been playing since she was eight. 

“They didn't have monopoly junior when I was a kid, [and so I played] whenever I could convince someone to play with me. Mum prefers scrabble, Dad doesn't like board games and my sister always cheats!

“I am a little monopoly obsessed ... I have around 30 different sets from different editions of the original game, as well as themed sets such as Hello Kitty and Indiana Jones.”

Alicia describes her lack of experience as setting her apart from the rest. 

“One competitor at the finals had been to the world championship several times since the 1980s. Also being female; there were only four of us in the nationals this year and I believe in 2009 there was only one,” she said. 

Training for the competition was difficult she explained, and experience helped, along with negotiation skills and good communication. 

“Playing the game is great practice, but you need to play tournament rules for this to be helpful. This means 60 minute timed games and the addition of a third dice with different functions as well as some other specific rules.”

As an avid Monopoly player, this writer asked Alicia about the key strategies she uses to win.  

“There are statistics that help (orange is the most landed on street) but with the addition of the third dice - the 'speed' dice - some of these are thrown out the window,” she explained. 

“This [speed dice] adds a higher element of luck to the game and ended my third game in the Nationals in bankruptcy after rolling up $1900 in rent in one roll. So the strategy that remains is to buy, buy, buy, negotiate until a whole colour group is yours and then mortgage everything else to develop your colour group,” she continued.

While the competition was tough on the day and the dice wasn't in her favour, she didn't come in last. 

“I am ranked 20th in the country after the tournament, a rank achieved I might say, without winning a single game! How you ask? One person was disqualified; a game got a little heated and without getting into the details two people were made bankrupt in all three of their games and one other person like myself didn't win, but stayed in a game, coming last in this game earning less points.

“Overall it was a great experience that I would definitely participate in again given the chance. I have a few more pieces for my collection including an 80th Anniversary Monopoly set and a players shirt. 

“I have also collected some new Facebook friends who love Monopoly just as much as me!”

And just because the talk was about Monopoly, the Tribune asked for Alicia's favourite pun.

“Monopoly: Ruining relationships since 1935,” she laughed. 

The successful nationals winner, Tony Shaw, got an all expenses paid trip to the world Monopoly Championship in Macaw, China, along with a monopoly-themed trophy. The winner of the world competition receives a monopoly set with real money, valued at roughly $25,000 USD.