Henricoan wins 1st round in national Monopoly championship

Henrico County resident Ellis Baggs won his opening round match tonight at the 2009 Monopoly U.S. National Championship at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington County.

Baggs, an environmental lawyer with Hunton & Williams, bankrupted his three opponents to earn 28 points in the opening round. He sent his last opponent into bankruptcy with about 6 minutes remaining in the 90-minute match.

Two more rounds will be played Wednesday morning at Union Station in Washington. The four players with the most points will advance to the championship round.

A total of 28 people are competing in the national championship. The opening round featured seven tables of four opponents.

At stake for the winner of Wednesday's championship: $20,580 -- the equivalent of the bank in Monopoly -- and a chance to vie for the world championship in October in Las Vegas.