Game tips & strategy guides

Word Search · 46 s video Word Search Tips: How to Find Words Faster Word search tips that work: hunt for the rarest letter, not the first one, and know which directions words run. We tested 3,000 grids. Plus a short video. Blackjack · 49 s video When to Split in Blackjack: Aces, 8s and Every Other Pair When to split in blackjack: always split Aces and 8s, never 10s or 5s. Full pair chart, split rules and a simulation of every dealer card. Free play chips only. Texas Hold'em · 50 s video The Worst Hand in Poker and the Best Hold'em Starting Hands The worst hand in poker is 7-2 offsuit, but 3-2 offsuit is lower on raw odds. We tested all 169 Texas Hold'em starting hands: chart, ranks and when to fold. Tetris · 41 s video Tetris Strategy: How to Get a Tetris Every Time Tetris strategy that works: keep the stack flat, leave one column open, wait for the I piece and clear 4 lines for 800 x level. Odds, speeds and a short video. Sudoku · 47 s video Sudoku Strategies: The 4 Techniques That Solve Most Grids Sudoku strategies that work: naked singles, hidden singles, naked pairs and pointing. We tested them on 4,000 puzzles from Easy to Expert. Examples and a video. Spider Solitaire · 50 s video Spider Solitaire Strategy: Build in Suit, Empty a Column, Deal Last Spider Solitaire strategy that works: build in the same suit, empty the shortest column early, turn over hidden cards and deal from the stock last. With video. Chess Puzzles · 39 s video Smothered Mate: How the Knight Checkmates a Boxed-In King Smothered mate explained: a knight checks a king boxed in by its own pieces. A real mate in one puzzle, the queen sacrifice that sets it up, and how to spot it. Reversi · 41 s video Othello and Reversi Strategy: How to Win, Tested in Thousands of Games Othello strategy that wins: take corners, avoid X and C squares, limit your opponent's moves. We tested 4 rules in thousands of Reversi games. With video. Picture Puzzle · 42 s video Relaxing Puzzle Games: How to Unwind with Picture Puzzle Looking for relaxing puzzle games? Picture Puzzle has no timer and no way to lose: swap pieces, watch them join, collect 136 pictures. Free, with a short video. Pyramid Solitaire · 46 s video Pyramid Solitaire Rules, Strategy and Tips (Tested on 50,000 Deals) Pyramid Solitaire rules: pair free cards that add up to 13, Kings go alone, 3 passes through the stock. Plus the strategy that won most in 50,000 test deals. Minesweeper · 46 s video Minesweeper Patterns: How to Win Without Guessing Win Minesweeper without guessing: read the numbers, spot the lonely 1, use chording and learn the 1-1, 1-2-1 and 1-2-2-1 patterns. With a short video. Memory Match · 43 s video Memory Game Tips: How to Win Memory Match in Fewer Moves Memory game tips that cut your moves: always flip a new card first. We played 200,000 shuffled games: it averages 12.4 moves versus 19.6 the other way round. Mahjong · 47 s video Mahjong Solitaire Tips: How to Clear More Boards Mahjong tips that clear more boards: pick the pair that frees the most tiles, open the tall stack, work rows from the ends. Tested on 5,000 solitaire boards. Tic-Tac-Toe · 39 s video How to Win Tic Tac Toe (and Never Lose) How to win tic tac toe: start in a corner, punish an edge reply with a fork, and learn the 3 replies that mean you never lose. We checked every possible game. Solitaire · 44 s video How to Win Solitaire: 4 Tips, Tested on 100,000 Deals How to win Solitaire: Aces up first, red on black, free the columns with the most hidden cards, Kings only in empty columns. We tested it on 100,000 deals. Snake · 44 s video How to Win the Snake Game (and Fill the Whole Board) How to win the Snake game: hug the walls, keep the middle open, always keep a path to your tail. We simulated 1,000 perfect runs on the 20x20 board. With video. Connect 4 · 43 s video How to Win Connect 4: The Strategy That Works How to win Connect 4: start in the center column, set up a double threat, never play under a threat and use odd and even rows. Connect 4 strategy with a video. Checkers · 40 s video How to Win at Checkers: Strategy, Tricks and Traps How to win at checkers: use the forced jump rule to set traps, hold the center, guard your back row and trade when ahead. Checkers strategy with a worked trap. Spades · 50 s video How to Bid in Spades: Count Your Sure Tricks How to bid in Spades: count side Aces, high spades and long spades, adjust for voids and your partner, and know when to bid Nil. Worked examples and a short video. Hearts · 49 s video Hearts Strategy: Pass Smart, Go Void, Dodge the Queen Hearts strategy that saves points: what to pass, how to go void, when to keep the Queen of Spades and how to shoot the moon. With odds and a short video. Hangman · 42 s video Hangman Strategy: The Best Letters to Guess, Tested on 194 Words The best letters to guess in Hangman are A, E, R, N, O and I: we counted every letter in all 194 words of our game. Plus a full hangman strategy and video. Gin Rummy · 48 s video Gin Rummy Strategy: Dump High Cards, Knock Early Gin rummy strategy that wins: throw high deadwood first, knock as soon as you can, avoid undercuts and know when gin is worth the wait. With a simulation. FreeCell · 40 s video FreeCell Strategy: How to Win Almost Every Deal FreeCell strategy: dig out Aces and 2s early, use a free cell only when it helps, empty it fast. Is every FreeCell game winnable? We tested 1,000 deals. Wordle · 48 s video The Best Wordle Starting Words, Tested on 662 Answers The best Wordle starting words are ARISE, CRATE, RAISE and TRACE: we tested 10 openers on 662 answers. ADIEU and AUDIO do worse. Plus a 3-guess walkthrough video. Backgammon · 45 s video Backgammon Opening Moves: The Best Play for All 15 Rolls Backgammon opening moves for all 15 first rolls, why 3-1 is the best, and the blot odds behind good backgammon strategy. With a table and a short video. 2048 · 46 s video 2048 Strategy: How to Win With the Corner Method 2048 strategy that works: keep your biggest tile in a corner, build a chain from big to small and avoid one direction. We simulated 2,300 games to test it.