In line with the true essence of Monopoly, I used to play this game ~all by myself~ and thus had no real need to read the rulebook. Less lonely children played with their siblings or cousins, where they cheated in the most unsophisticated manner by stealing cash from the bank.

Whether you played alone or with friends, one thing's for sure, no one reads the rules and how we play the game is handed down by word. And it is this murky interpretation of rules that some times destroys friendships over Monopoly.

But now that we're all grown up and have a clearer understanding of what friendship entails,  here's a quick tutorial on the actual rules of the game - and how to use them to your advantage.

1. Free parking

The Singaporean way: "Eh, I can take all the money in the middle right?"

The rulebook way: "A player landing on this place does not receive any money, property or reward of any kind. This is just a “free” resting place."

How to use this to your advantage: If your rich friend lands on it, shove the rulebook in his face. If you land on it, keep quiet and take the money.

2. Not buying property on the first round

The Singaporean way: "Aha, you cannot buy the train station because first round!!"

The rulebook way: Nowhere in the rules does it state that players are not allowed to buy property in the first game round.

How to use this to your advantage: Don't mention this little nugget until you land on a prized property.

3. Never auctioning properties 

The Singaporean way: "Ehh... no money. Don't want lah."

The rulebook way: "If you do not wish to buy the property, the Banker sells it at auction to the highest bidder (including the one who declined the option to buy it at the printed price)."

How to use this to your advantage: Suddenly "remember" this rule when your friend lands on a property you need to complete a crucial set (but never before, because someone else might use it to complete their set faster).

4. Sitting around in jail

The Singaporean way: Pray to Tua Pek Gong in hopes that you roll doubles while giving your friends the opportunity to snap up all the good properties if you're too miserly to pay the $50 fine.

The rulebook way: "Even though you are in Jail, you may buy and sell property, buy and sell houses and hotels and collect rents."

How to use this to your advantage: Make sure your jail bird friends never find out about this rule. Hehehe.

5. Dealing with a bankrupt player's property wrongly

The Singaporean way: Handing the player's property back to the bank and allowing other players to purchase only when they land on it.

The rulebook way: If the bankrupt is in debt with the bank, the bank confiscates all his properties and sets them up for auction immediately. If the bankrupt is in debt with another player, he immediately hands over all his assets.

How to use this to your advantage: Try your best to bankrupt another player, now that you know what that will get you. But keep mum before you succeed!

Otherwise, wikihow also has 3 ways to cheat at Monopoly, but we think it's considerably less classy.

This version of Monopoly might be easier to comprehend:

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