 This week Calgarian Dave Blizzard, 56, right, posing with his son, Ian, left, hopes to cash in when he takes on 47 other contenders in the Monopoly Championships being held in Montreal. (Darren Makowichuk, Sun Media)
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If he passes GO and stays out of jail, he could collect $15,000 in real cash after playing with fake money in one of the world's most iconic board games.
This week, Calgarian Dave Blizzard, 56, hopes to take the country by storm when he challenges 47 other contenders in the 2009 Monopoly Canadian Championships in Montreal.
"I started playing when I was six or seven with my family," he said.
"Like most families, we had a Monopoly game we played with family and I played with my kids.
"It's one of my favourites -- I think board games in general help children learn social skills and ... good family fun."
And the upcoming Monopoly tourney became something of a family affair for Blizzard, whose son Ian, 26, also qualified but is unable to make the trip to Montreal.
Blizzard, an IT manager with Chevron, was one of 48 Canadians who qualified for the event by scoring 80% or higher on an online Monopoly quiz.
But he just entered because he thought it would be fun.
"I always liked playing board games both for fun and competitively," he said, adding he has about 5,000 games.
He also helps organize a local board game convention called FallCon.
Blizzard may call this city home, but when talking Monopoly, it's the orange properties of St. James Place, Tennessee Avenue and New York Avenue that catch his eye for their high probability players will land on them and their high "rent versus cost ratio."
As for his strategy, Blizzard said the right trade makes all the difference -- and maybe a little luck of the dice.
"The key is to be able to make a good trade -- and building homes early and hoping people land on them," he said. "Hopefully I get my lucky car token."
The winner will take home $15,000 in prize money and represent Canada at the Monopoly World Championships in Las Vegas.
KATIE.SCHNEIDER@SUNMEDIA.CA
