ANTHONY Jucha’s aim is to bankrupt everyone and build hotels all over London.
The 34-year-old Glebe lawyer has just been crowned Queensland Monopoly champion, beating 50 other Monopoly tragics.
After coming second at the NSW Monopoly Championships on January 10, Mr Jucha decided to fly to Brisbane the next day to contest the Queensland title.
He played three one-hour games with up to five players using new speed dice rules, which propel players ahead.
It was a long time between victories for Mr Jucha, who won the South Australian title aged 17 back in 1991.
What is his strategy?
“I don’t have favourite sites,” he said. “I pay attention very carefully a lot of people haven’t got the discipline.”
“Playing fast is generally my friend because I know the game inside out. I don’t give other people the space to concentrate.”
Building good relationships with other players to do deals was essential.
“This is championship Monopoly so you’re playing very aggressively. If you smell blood you take them out.”
Mr Jucha often plots tactics while cycling to work.
He hopes to represent Australia in October’s World Monopoly Championships in Las Vegas but must first win the national championships in Melbourne this March.
By Marie Sansom
(The Glebe – 22 January 2009)