1. There are rules.

2. Changing the rules can make the game more interesting.

3. Context determines strategy. There is a time and place to build hotels on Baltic Avenue.

4. There is a point, when the game has stretched into the early hours of the morning, when winning is more about not giving up than it is about having the right strategy.

5. There are always surprises: jails to go to, fees to pay, and (if you're lucky) jackpots to collect.