<p>It's just following standard templating for cards that move the tokens.</p>
<p>Perhaps the designer(s) felt alternate wordings would be unclear (perhaps lead to people trying to collect $400 or not collecting at all).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T00:55:50.777Z
That is an opinion. I expect there would be facts that explain the wording.
Robert Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T14:42:10.013Z
That it follows standard templating is a fact. The bit I prefaced with "perhaps" is conjecture, sure.
L. Scott Johnson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-27T22:08:45.177Z
2020-12-27T22:08:45.177Z
L. Scott Johnson
<p><strong>Yes, it can happen...</strong></p>
<p>There are 2 cases that explain the wording of this card. These cases reveal that it is possible to be sent to Reading Railroad by a Chance card from a square other than a Chance square.</p>
<p><strong>Case 1 Original USA game</strong></p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.worldofmonopoly.com/northamerica/usa/country/info/candcc-index.php" rel="noreferrer">World of Monopoly</a>, these (first?) four versions of Monopoly contained this Community Chest card : <strong>«Pay $10 fine or take a Chance»</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Darrow White Box, Darrow Black Box, Parker Bros 1935 Plain, Parker
Bros 1935-36 Plain</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ipMYO.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ipMYO.jpg" alt="Pay a $10.00 Fine or take &quot;Chance&quot;" /></a></p>
<p>This means that you could be sent to Reading Railroad by a Chance card from the Community Chest square between Mediterranean Avenue and Baltic Avenue, and NOT pass Go.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/7021822" rel="noreferrer">EnAcademic.com</a>, this Community Chest card has been omitted from the US editions since 1936.</p>
<p><strong>Case 2 Blame Canada</strong></p>
<p>Again, according to <a href="http://worldofmonopoly.com/albert/canada_uk.htm" rel="noreferrer">World Of Monopoly</a>,</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Edition:  “Mini box”, with separate board - Atlantic City Publisher:
Parker Bros. Inc/The Copp Clark Co.Ltd. - ±1946 ... Reg. U.S. Patent
Office Canadian Registration M.S. 19-5674 U.S.  Patents 1.509.312
---2.026.082  <strong>Patented Canada</strong>.1936 ---- 362.124 ...</p>
<p>«Curiously, the rules of this game (in English and French) contain a
provision that a player rolling a 3 may take a Chance or Community
Chest card instead of making his move.»</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I remember playing with this rule in the 1950s, but I always remembered it as a house rule. It appears that it was official, in Canada.</p>
<p>Therefore, if you rolled a 3 while on Mediterranean Avenue, Community Chest(1), Baltic Avenue or Income Tax, you could elect to not play it, take a Chance card, and be sent to Reading Railroad by that card, without passing Go.</p>
<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>
<p>In either case, it would be possible to be sent to Reading Railroad, by a Chance card, from a square other than Chance, and not pass Go. And that is why the phrase «... if you pass GO, collect $200» was required on the Chance card in those days. The phrase just was not dropped when no longer required.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T14:43:36.630Z
I'll note that your "that is why" conclusion here is also an opinion.
L. Scott Johnson
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T18:11:03.180Z
A valid point...
Robert Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-28T00:53:37.743Z
2020-12-31T19:39:03.983Z
2020-12-31T19:39:03.983Z
Robert Miller
<p>In Monopoly, there is a Chance card that reads :</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Take a ride on the Reading. Advance token and if you pass Go, collect
$200</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Given that there is no legal way that you could reach Reading Railroad from a Chance square <strong>without</strong> passing Go, why is it specified on the card?</p>
<p>Is there a historic rule that may have changed ?</p>

<monopoly>
Can you be sent to Reading Railroad without passing Go?
Robert Miller
# Can you be sent to Reading Railroad without passing Go?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-26)

In Monopoly, there is a Chance card that reads :

> Take a ride on the Reading. Advance token and if you pass Go, collect
> $200

Given that there is no legal way that you could reach Reading Railroad from a Chance square **without** passing Go, why is it specified on the card?

Is there a historic rule that may have changed ?

**Tags:** monopoly


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2020-12-28. Score: 13 | Accepted answer

**Yes, it can happen...**

There are 2 cases that explain the wording of this card. These cases reveal that it is possible to be sent to Reading Railroad by a Chance card from a square other than a Chance square.

**Case 1 Original USA game**

According to [World of Monopoly](http://www.worldofmonopoly.com/northamerica/usa/country/info/candcc-index.php), these (first?) four versions of Monopoly contained this Community Chest card : **«Pay $10 fine or take a Chance»**

> Darrow White Box, Darrow Black Box, Parker Bros 1935 Plain, Parker
> Bros 1935-36 Plain

[![Pay a $10.00 Fine or take ](https://i.sstatic.net/ipMYO.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/ipMYO.jpg)

This means that you could be sent to Reading Railroad by a Chance card from the Community Chest square between Mediterranean Avenue and Baltic Avenue, and NOT pass Go.

According to [EnAcademic.com](https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/7021822), this Community Chest card has been omitted from the US editions since 1936.

**Case 2 Blame Canada**

Again, according to [World Of Monopoly](http://worldofmonopoly.com/albert/canada_uk.htm),

> Edition: “Mini box”, with separate board - Atlantic City Publisher:
> Parker Bros. Inc/The Copp Clark Co.Ltd. - ±1946 ... Reg. U.S. Patent
> Office Canadian Registration M.S. 19-5674 U.S. Patents 1.509.312
> ---2.026.082 **Patented Canada**.1936 ---- 362.124 ...
>
> «Curiously, the rules of this game (in English and French) contain a
> provision that a player rolling a 3 may take a Chance or Community
> Chest card instead of making his move.»

I remember playing with this rule in the 1950s, but I always remembered it as a house rule. It appears that it was official, in Canada.

Therefore, if you rolled a 3 while on Mediterranean Avenue, Community Chest(1), Baltic Avenue or Income Tax, you could elect to not play it, take a Chance card, and be sent to Reading Railroad by that card, without passing Go.

**Conclusion**

In either case, it would be possible to be sent to Reading Railroad, by a Chance card, from a square other than Chance, and not pass Go. And that is why the phrase «... if you pass GO, collect $200» was required on the Chance card in those days. The phrase just was not dropped when no longer required.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'll note that your "that is why" conclusion here is also an opinion.  
> **username_0**: A valid point...  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-27. Score: 2

It's just following standard templating for cards that move the tokens.

Perhaps the designer(s) felt alternate wordings would be unclear (perhaps lead to people trying to collect $400 or not collecting at all).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That is an opinion. I expect there would be facts that explain the wording.  
> **username_1**: That it follows standard templating is a fact. The bit I prefaced with "perhaps" is conjecture, sure.  

---

