Rich Uncle is a stock market board game published by Parker Brothers (first edition 1946, revised editions in 1955 and 1959). Players roll dice and invest in stocks featured on the board, hoping to multiply their starting cash. The board stands vertically and features 36 spaces corresponding to dice results. Players buy and sell stocks based on the spaces they land on and the market quotations published in the “Daily Bugle” newspaper cards. The first player to increase their holdings from $10,000 to $50,000 wins.
Components
1 Game board (stands vertically by attaching to the box)
Attach the game board to the box so it stands vertically.
Each player receives $10,000 in starting cash.
Shuffle the Daily Bugle newspaper cards and place them face-down.
Each player selects a token.
Determine the starting player.
Turn Structure
On each turn:
Roll Both Dice: Roll both dice. The dark die represents tens, the light die represents units (e.g., dark 3 + light 5 = 35).
Resolve Space: Check the space number on the board corresponding to your roll:
Stock Space: You may buy or sell the stock shown at the current market price.
Doubles (11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66): Consult the Daily Bugle – draw a newspaper card that changes market quotation prices.
66 Space: Receive a Christmas Bonus of $3,000 in addition to consulting the Daily Bugle.
Market Fluctuation: If a newspaper card was drawn, the market price for stocks changes according to the card’s instructions.
Buy/Sell Stocks: Purchase or sell stocks at the current market prices.
Actions
Buy Stock: Purchase shares of the stock shown on your rolled space at the current market price.
Sell Stock: Sell shares you own at the current market price.
Consult Daily Bugle: When rolling doubles, draw a newspaper card to change stock prices (each card has a humorous headline).
Collect Bonus: Landing on space 66 yields a $3,000 Christmas Bonus.
Hold: You may choose not to buy or sell on any given turn.
Scoring / Victory Conditions
Win: The first player to increase their total holdings (cash + stock value) to $50,000 wins.
Stock values fluctuate based on Daily Bugle cards, so timing purchases and sales is critical.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
Dice Reading: The dark die always represents the tens digit and the light die the units. This means the range of possible results is 11-66 (not the standard 2-12 of normal dice).
Market Volatility: A single Daily Bugle card changes the price for the stock currently occupying the non-doubles spaces, meaning all non-doubles spaces share a single price point that fluctuates.
Newspaper Headlines: Each Daily Bugle card features a humorous headline accompanying its market instructions, adding thematic flavor.
No Board Movement: Players do not move a token around the board; they simply roll dice and resolve the corresponding space. The board is a reference chart.
Stock Limit: Players may hold multiple shares of the same stock.