Quick winning principles
- Take pieces that net positive buttons (income exceeds cost).
- Plan the 7x7 bonus by move 12—it is worth two medium pieces.
- Move the neutral token to deny opponents their needed piece shape.
- Fill single-hole gaps with 1x1 patches, not by skipping turns.
Ideal strategy
- 1
Button economy: piece income minus cost should be positive; leather patch is the baseline.
- 2
7x7 bonus: leave a 7-wide rectangle open and fill it with three pieces for the bonus.
- 3
Odd shapes: L-pieces and T-pieces fill corners that 2x2 pieces cannot.
- 4
Time token: moving ahead for a needed piece is correct when the piece scores 3+ buttons net.
- 5
Denial: place the token past the opponent's needed 1x4 piece even if you do not want it.
- 6
Endgame: 7x7 bonus plus button income above 8 beats a larger board without the bonus.