Monopoly Championship Winner Christopher Woo
Hong Kong has just been voted to be included in the latest world edition of Monopoly, joining other metropolitan cities such as New York and Paris. Christopher Woo, the only Hong Kong winner of the world Monopoly championship, talks about his passion for the game and how the Hong Kong version could be improved.
HK Magazine: It’s been more than 10 years since you won the world title. What have you been up to?
Christopher Woo: The competition takes place every four years. So after I won the title in 1996, I tried to re-enact the glory in Toronto, 2000. I failed—mainly because I wasn’t focused on the game. I just wanted to hang out with my family and go sightseeing. And besides, after you win once, many people will be more cautious around you, and even refuse to play with you. I had a bad encounter with an Australian competitor who badmouthed me and called me a cheater. I was quite disappointed because it’s a game and it will lose its essence if you contaminate it with this kind of spirit.
HK: What made you so interested in Monopoly in the
first place?
CW: I have six siblings, so Monopoly was the game we played growing up. What other game can entertain so many people at the same time? Actually, I’m a big fan of many board games, and for your information I’m good at a lot of them, too. I simply haven’t joined other competitions and won titles for those. But I have to say, Monopoly is a true classic and I admire the creator, Charles Darrow, a lot. The rules of the game are so cleverly designed that even one tiny change will disturb the balance. It’s a true classic—that’s why it’s remained popular for nearly a century. And it’s an excellent icebreaker—would a girl prefer to play chess or Monopoly with you?
HK: How do you feel about Hong Kong’s inclusion in the world edition of the game?
CW: I’m happy, especially when I found out that Hong Kong ranked seventh in the overall vote. It’s really good for Hong Kong’s image because we’re on the same list as other world mega-cities. I think the Tourism Board should vastly promote it—maybe they should get me to help! You know, at the end of the day, I won a gold medal for Hong Kong, and we’re not good at producing medallists in general. It’s a rare honor.
HK: Given that Hong Kong’s undergone so many changes in recent years, should the Monopoly makers release an updated edition of our Monopoly board?
CW: Sure, some changes should be made. For instance, we don’t have the KCR station anymore. It’s all MTR now. And we’re missing out new places like Cyberport. I guess we should organize an online vote and get everyone to decide what places should be in or out.
HK: How does Monopoly inspire you?
CW: It’s a common myth that people who play Monopoly
live by a certain, Monopoly-based philosophy. But truthfully, I don’t. Having fun and enjoying the game itself is the best thing I get from it. It’s the process that’s meaningful, not what you get from it. If you want inspiration, the Bible might be more promising.