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Pond Estates

Buy, build and charge rent round the pond

Play on this device

Players:
Of them, computers:
Length:

You against 2 computers. Everyone starts with $1,500. Buy what you land on, finish color groups to build, and charge rent. After the last round the richest player wins, unless everyone else has gone broke first.

Not in the same room? Play online while you talk on a call, each on your own phone.

More info

How to play

  • Everyone starts on Start with $1,500. Roll two dice and move. Each time you pass Start you collect $200. Roll doubles and you go again, but three doubles in a row sends you to the Net.
  • Land on a street, ferry or mill nobody owns and you can buy it. Land on someone else’s and you pay them rent.
  • Own a whole color group and its rent doubles, and you can build huts on it (evenly, one at a time), up to four, then a lodge. Rent climbs steeply with each one.
  • Ferries charge more the more of them you own. Mills charge 4 times the dice, or 10 times if you own both.
  • Lucky Pond and Duck Fund squares draw a card: a move, a payment, money from the bank or from everyone, or a free card out of the Net.
  • In the Net you can pay $50, use a free card, or try for doubles on each of your next three turns. After the third miss you pay and move.
  • Short of money, sell huts back for half or mortgage property for half its price. Mortgaged property charges no rent until you pay it off (plus 10%).
  • On your turn you can offer anyone a trade: cash, property and free cards, both ways. They accept or turn it down.
  • Can’t pay even after selling and mortgaging everything? You’re out, and what you have goes to whoever you owe. Last one in wins; otherwise, after the agreed number of rounds, the richest (cash, property and huts) wins.

Tips

Buy almost everything early on. Groups are what win: trade to finish one, even if you give a little more than you get. Three huts on a group is the sweet spot for rent against cost. The squares just after the Net (pink and orange) get landed on most because so many players come out of it.