Plan beyond the first merge
A chain begins with two questions: can these blobs meet, and where will the new one go? Read the number sequence and the changing shape of the board together.
- Find the first partner
Locate the matching number and a route that can bring your shot close enough.
- Picture the new blob’s position
A bigger blob can shift nearby pieces or slide lower. Its final position may differ from the point of first contact.
- Leave room for the next partner
The next number is only useful if you can still bring the pieces together.
Think about position as the numbers grow
When you are about to merge 64s, notice where a useful 128 is waiting. Can you form the new blob nearer that side, or should you clear a smaller piece first? Connect the shot in front of you with the match you want afterward.
Diagnose a chain that did not connect
- The right numbers are far apart
- Look for a small obstruction to clear or a way to shift one partner closer.
- The new blob moves somewhere unexpected
- Compare a gentler shot that changes less of the surrounding pile.
- The board is nearly full
- Make accessible space first rather than insisting on a distant, larger chain.