Chairman Of The Board

"I'm learning something here. I've never seen anyone play like this." The Marylander was not alone. Craig's take of $13,702 was more than anyone else had amassed in both rounds combined.

The final game, which was played at the Manhattan toy store FAO Schwarz, had no time limit. Craig rolled last, but when he passed Go for the first time, there were four properties in his portfolio. The only one he landed on and declined to buy was Boardwalk. "I know that stunned some people," Craig says, "but the fact is, Boardwalk and Park Place cost too much to buy and to improve." Donald Trump, take note.

After 30 minutes Craig controlled the light-blue monopoly and had blocked the formation of nearly all others. An hour later he had busted the Monopolists from Texas and West Virginia and assembled a red arc of hotels that stretched from Oriental to New York avenues. When Craig wiped out the girl from Kansas in the 100th minute, there was no need to tally his bankroll. "I had everything," he says. "All the property and all the cash." Which confirmed his Monopolistic ethic: "Basically, you've got to be as nice to everyone as possible, then take their money."