Mono Poly Champeeeen of Stinson Beach

Sloan Lee analyzes the relative merits of Community Chest vs. Chance

I suppose it was inevitable that my daughter would someday begin to surpass me in mental dexterity, strategic thinking and sheer competitive ruthlessness  (ok, that last one I'm not much on...).  That day, as it turns out, was today.

I began playing Monopoly at around four years old.  With an older brother and sister, it was necessary to learn board and card games early - or chance being left out of all the fun.  After 6th grade or so, I probably didn't play the game more than once or twice... until Sloan turned five.

I taught her to play and, like everything else she tries, she caught on pretty quickly.  She and I played hundreds of games and I would never 'let' her win.  She lost a lot of rounds of Monopoly - but she never lost her enthusiasm for the game.

Slowly she got better and better.

She flew out to California to visit me last week and we played a little Monopoly.  I won the first game.  She talked about her 'strategy' and indicated that she would beat me the second go round.

She did.

Before I brought her to the airport this morning, we played another game.  And at long last, she took me for two out of three.

I know she was happy.

Well, Sloan has now advanced her token to the Baltimore-Washington Int'l airport and I am left out here on the west coast, attempting to roll doubles and maybe end up taking a walk on the Boardwalk.

It may be a while before we get to play again.  We're meeting up in Tokyo in a couple of weeks and I don't think taking a board game in my luggage will happen.

There's always Brooklyn in the late Spring.  That gives me a good four months or so to revise my strategy.

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