9

I'm simulating Monopoly with a computer program and came across this situation:

  • Roll: 4 + 4 = 8 (first double)
  • Moved from "Tennessee Avenue" to "Atlantic Avenue".
  • Roll: 2 + 2 = 4 (second double)
  • Moved from "Atlantic Avenue" to "Go To Jail".
  • JAILED!
  • In jail!
  • Roll: 6 + 6 = 12 (third double)
  • FREED FROM JAIL!
  • 3 DOUBLES!
  • JAILED!

3 doubles were indeed rolled in a row, so the poor fella was jailed once again. I'm assuming this is not how it should be though.... how should this work?

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17

As per the official rules, "[y]our turn ends when you are sent to jail". So in that situation, having landed on the "Go To Jail" space, the player gets put in jail and his turn ends so he has no opportunity to roll the third time.

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  • 5
    Ah, that makes sense. Time to add doublesInARow = 0; to the jail function! – Mark Aug 19 '14 at 23:10
  • Perhaps the question was a bit easier than I thought... I am only simulating one player, so I haven't programmed "beginnings" or "ends" of turns. – Mark Aug 19 '14 at 23:12
  • Out of curiosity, what is the purpose of simulating a single-player game of Monopoly? – murgatroid99♦ Aug 19 '14 at 23:24
  • @murgatroid99 Probabilities of landing on each space, probably? I don't think the other players can do anything to cause you to move differently. – Cascabel♦ Aug 20 '14 at 1:06
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    While that is almost always correct, technically another player can minutely affect those probabilities (by choice) by choosing whether to hold or use a Get Out of Jail Free card. That affects the probabilities of getting certain movement cards from Community Chest, which in turn cascades out to subtly affect the probabilities across the board. That choice can also affect your probability of getting that card and having the opportunity to leave jail earlier. – murgatroid99♦ Aug 20 '14 at 1:11

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