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Strategist's Hideout - Selecting the right cards
By: Paradox
A new name with a new writer. Welcome all the Strategist's Hideout. I'm glad that I've been giving the chance to take over for Nimloth, who is one of TTA's best players which just means I have a big role to fill. Now I know you're all thinking "Paradox is writing about strategies? But he's the worst player on TTA!" Well, that may be true, but I do know how to play the game. Think of it like how the coach of a sports team provides all the plays and strategies but doesn't actually play the game himself. So with that, I hope you find my articles useful. =)

This month's topic is about selecting cards to make a good hand. Know that this only applies to non-random games so if all you ever play is random, this isn't quite for you.

So just what are the right cards to making a good hand? There is no secret behind it. It is a hand of cards that work together. Like a team, each card should be able to work off another to provide the best possible chance of success.

Here are some important things you should think about when creating a hand:

- You should consider the level(s) you're playing with. It is always good to assume that your opponent has cards that have the highest possible value available to that level. For example, if you're playing level 5, assume that your opponent will use cards that have at least one 7 on them which is the highest value a card can have for level 5.

- Another thing to consider is the rule(s) you're playing with. Same, Plus, Same Wall, Plus Wall, Elemental, and Combo effect how you play the game greatly. Always try to build a hand in regard to the rules you want to play with. Remember that while a hand may work with one set of rules, it may not work with a different set even if it's just one rule added or one taken out!

Let's go through a few examples to give a general idea. We will be using this rule set for our hands: Level 2, 3, 4, 5 with Same and Plus.

Now, as I discussed earlier, we need to consider the levels. Because the highest level is 5, we should assume that your opponent will play with cards that have at least one 7 on them.

Next, we have to take in the rules. With Same and Plus on, it's a good idea to use cards that have similar numbers to them, even if it's just one number. As well, because we're playing with Same and Plus only, you and your opponent can play safety cards. What is a safety card? It's a card that can be played without being overtaken the next turn. If you're playing with Plus Wall, unless your you and your opponent doesn't have the appropriate cards, there is no such thing as a safety card.

Now let's take a look at a hand.



The hand is (From left to right): Thrustaevis, Brainpain, Master Pug, Iron Giant, and White Knight.

This hand is suitable given the rules if you know how to use it. All the cards are related by at least one number which works perfect for Same and Plus. For example, let's say your opponent gets first turn and he plays in one of the corners. By playing Thrustaevis in spot 5 (the center of the board), you can overtake the card by using the Same rule or by overpowering the card.

Taking a more in-depth look, you will get something like this:



When your opponent plays in spots 1, 3, 7, or 9, play Thrustaevis as shown. That way, you can use your other cards to overtake whatever card your opponent has played through the Same rule or by overpowering it's number. If your opponent plays in 3, you can use White Knight/Iron Giant in spot 2 or Master Pug in spot 6 to take whatever card your opponent played in 3. The idea is the same if your opponent played in a different corner, but you may have to use different cards.

Now, another thing to take note of is how you would play when you get first turn. A good move is to play a safety card if you have one. If not, you should play a card where if your opponent takes the card, you are able to take it back. In general for this strategy, you would want to play a card in the spot where its weakest numbers are exposed. For this hand, playing Thrustaevis in spot 1 will expose its 3 and 2 and allow you to take it back from either side with your cards. An added bonus to this move is that it has Same capabilities with White Knight when played in spot and Brainpan when played in spot 2. Always look for these kind of things when creating a hand because they are very useful.

The strategy for this hand is the center-card strategy. When your opponent plays in the corner spots, you play a card in the center that lets you take any card in any corner by using the other cards in your hand.

Let's take a look at another hand.



The hand is (From left to right): Malboro, YKT-11, Ruminator, Zaghnol, and Doorbull

While this hand mixes it up with some more strategic cards and power cards, which is not such a bad thing in some cases, it doesn't work very well. You cannot play a card in the center to overtake other cards nor can you apply other strategies very well. The only thing this hand has is the safety card (Malboro) but nothing beyond that. What am I trying to say with this hand? Do NOT mix cards that have number combinations that have very little in common! You will not get good results by doing so!

Just remember! There are many different hands and many different strategies. Experiment! Try new and different ideas that come to you. Not every hand has to be by the book. Also remember that if you lose a few times, the hand may still be good as there is no perfect hand that can win 100% of the time, and vice versa. Of course, I'll be showing you and in-depth look at the many strategies that are available in future articles.

Well, that's all for this month's strategy article. I hope you learned something or at least showed you that I know what I'm talking about when it comes to Triple Triad. Until next month, have fun and happy TTing.