Monopoly Tips

Monopoly is a great board game which you can play with the family. But just in case you wanted to come out as the victor, here are some important tips.

1. Buy Everything

I often times see people buying only the high quality stuff, which they think is the secret to the game. No, the secret to the game is to buy everything. Even the lowest property on the board gives you
some sort of cash flow when people land on it.

The more you buy the more likely it is that someone will land on something.

2. Buy the Railroads

I love the railroads because it is an easy and fast way to start making a little bit higher rent. Sure you will not make as much by owning 3 railroads then if you had 1 hotel, but the odds that someone will land on one of those three railroads is much higher than the hotel, and they are much quicker to get too.

Sometimes it pays to look for the quick ways to get high rent.

3. Spread yourself out

You don't want to be the person who owns nothing but 1 hotel, unless you are feeling really, really lucky. Instead it is a much better idea to own smaller houses all across the board. That way you will make more as people will land on them more often.

My philosophy is, hotels get mortgaged, houses pay the bills. At least when it comes to monopoly

4. Go to Jail

When it is later in the game you want to stay in jail as long as possible. In fact if they let you out, beg to go back in. You don't want to walk out unless you own most of what is on the field. Early on in the game it is different, it is probably better to pay to get out of jail. This way you can be free and go buy everything.

For more on monopoly visit http://www.best-family-games.com/monopoly_rules.html

For more on family games visit http://www.best-familiy-games.com

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FreeCell Solitaire - Tips to Win

FreeCell solitaire is a strategy card game that is unique to other games of its kind. One of the reasons it's so popular and interesting is because when the right strategy is used and the right moves made, it's possible to win almost every game. This card game does not primarily depend on luck. Skill is the main factor that determines whether you win or lose the game.

The goal is to place the cards of the same suite in an ascending order (from Ace to King) on the top right hand side of the playing board. On the lower half you place them in descending order (from King to Ace) in alternating colors. The left hand side of the playing board has 4 slots (called free cells) that can be used for storing the cards allowing you to move others around so you can get to the ones that you need.

One thing that makes FreeCell so unique is the fact that all the cards are face up right from the very beginning. You can see the exact location of every card and plan your moves accordingly. It's for this reason the game is based more on the type of strategy you use instead of pure luck. The following tips on how to win at FreeCell solitaire will help to improve your success rate each time you play the game.

* The first thing that you need to do is stop, take a few minutes and examine the board. Look where everything is located and consider what's going to happen next after you make a move.
* Play three or four moves, then stop and re-examine the board to see what options you have at this point before making the next moves.
* Make empty columns as soon as possible to give yourself more room to maneuver other cards.
* Whenever possible start an empty column off with a king.
* Search for the aces and make it a point to get them free as early in the game as possible. While doing this consider where the 2's and 3's are located as well.
* Keep in mind that the moves that seem to be the obvious choice are not always the best choice. You may need to make other moves to free up cards that you will need later.
* Keep the free cells empty whenever possible to give you more options throughout the game.

Maneuverability is the key to winning FreeCell. Once you run out of space to move the cards around and there are no more plays, the game is over and you lose. When planning out your strategy keep this in mind.

As with any game, practice makes prefect so the more you play the easier it will be for you to determine ahead of time what moves to make. Combine the tips listed above with practice and before long, you will be winning more games than you lose.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses. Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa's blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_A_Mason

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Play Scrabble and Win

Scrabble is a word board game designed for two to four players. It consists of a game board marked with a 15 by 15 grid and a variety of lettered tiles. You score points by forming words across or up and down the board similar to a crossword puzzle. You must be able to find the words that you use for the game in a standard dictionary for it to be used legally. Scrabble has been around for a long time but it's still considered one of the top board games of today.

If you love playing the game but tend to get frustrated because you find yourself staring at the tiles and your mind goes blank, you're not alone. This actually happens to a lot of players but there are a few tips that can help you out. With the tips found here you can play scrabble and win.

* Start by brushing up on your words so you will be more familiar with a variation of different words and that will help you to look at the letters you have and use them to form words faster.

* Shuffle your tiles around often to help you come up with ideas. Seeing the tiles in a different order really can make a big difference and help you see words easier.

* Always look at the board to see what options you have before making a move. There may be something that you can add to that will make you a lot of points.

* Let your mind be open to using unusual words that aren't used everyday. Many players tend to focus on common words when not so common ones can be easier to come up with and earn you more points.

* Having a good balance of consonants and vowels is nice and something all players hope for but this doesn't always happen. Don't let this discourage you. There are many words that are rich in both vowel and consonants that can be legally used in scrabble. The problem is the player usually sees all of one thing and starts to panic and this is part of the reason they experience a mental block.

Since your goal is to score points by making words and the longer the word the more points you receive, many players tend to search for the longest words they can think of. This takes up more time and it's not always the best strategy. Don't rule out using two or three letter words or other short words occasionally throughout the game. These can lead to longer words on down the road especially if you think and plan ahead. Short words can also help you out of tight spot when you find yourself struck for words and you need to buy a little time to review the tiles in front of you.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses. Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa's blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_A_Mason

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Online Games Vs Gaming Consoles

Which one is better? There is quite a bit of competition between online games and gaming consoles that you play on your television set. It's hard to say which one is better because it really all depends on the personal preference of the player. Still, it would be safe to say that online games are extremely popular toady.

Both ways to play games has something special to offer the gamer so let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages each of them have to offer.

Gaming Consoles:

* The cost of some of the more modern gaming consoles are reasonably priced considering all the great features they have to offer.
* The HD TV can greatly enhance the graphics on some of the games.
* Once you pay for the console and the games you want to play, there is no ongoing fee each month that you have to pay.
* They're fast and easy to set up.
* They can be played by gamers of all ages.
* There are many excellent and exciting games available for these systems.
* You can gather together with friends or family and have a game night to socialize.

The biggest downfall of the gaming consoles is the fact that updating the system is not normally an option. This means when a new system comes out with better graphics and features, you have to buy new games as well. Although, manufactures are working on this problem and the Xbox 360 is the perfect example. It was designed with backwards compatibility making it possible to continue playing many of the Xbox games with the new console.

Online Games:

* The game options available online can't be beat. There are literally thousands of games that you can choose from.
* There are many free games that you can play online.
* Many games can be downloaded to your PC for convenience.
* Massively multiplayer online role-playing games are available which makes it possible for large groups of gamers to interact together in a virtual world. These games are fun, exciting and challenging.
* When problems occur with online games the developers of those games can install a patch to correct the problem. Upgrades can also be made this way.
* Some games allow you to customize your avatar to make it more personal.
* You can interact with gamers from all over the world. You can always find someone to play with or compete against anytime day or night.
* It's a great way to make new friends with a common interest.
* Online gaming offers both high quality sound and excellent graphics.

Of course, before you can play online games you do need to invest in a good computer system. Depending on the games you choose to play you will most likely need a high speed Internet connection as well. Some games require a monthly fee to participate. Another concern with online gaming is that it's possible to become a little obsessed with the games and some people become anti-social because they spend all of their time playing these games.

When you compare online games to gaming consoles you can see that they all have good and bad issues. You have to decide which one suits your needs the best and offers the type of games that you're the most interested in. Each person is different and what works for one, may not be suited for another. However, there's no reason why you can't enjoy both if you have the time for lots of gaming.

Lisa is a freelance writer with a specialty in Internet content and SEO articles. She has written thousands of articles, hundreds of ebooks and thousands of website pages and related content. She has also authored her own books and works as a consultant to other writers, Internet marketers and Internet businesses. Professional wordsmith for hire: gamer, wife, mother, entrepreneur, published poet, co-owner of game guides company, public speaker and Internet business consultant. You can learn more or follow Lisa's blog from her website: http://www.freelancewriter4hire.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_A_Mason

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