Game Strategy

Explore & Discover

Strategy is everywhere in games — even when you do not notice it. Start by playing 20 minutes of any turn-based or real-time strategy game: chess.com, Clash Royale, or a free browser game like Bloons Tower Defense. While you play, stop every five minutes and ask yourself one question: "Why did I just do that?" Watch five minutes of a pro player on YouTube or Twitch in a game you already know. You are not there to copy moves — you are there to notice that they are always thinking ahead. You're ready for the next step when you can describe one decision a pro player made that surprised you and explain what they were probably thinking.

Learn the Basics

Strategy in games comes down to three core ideas: resources, positioning, and timing. Resources are anything you collect or manage — health, gold, ammo, time. Positioning is where you put yourself and your pieces relative to the enemy. Timing is knowing when to act and when to wait. Watch the YouTube channel "Day9TV" for StarCraft strategy breakdowns or "Core-A Gaming" for fighting game analysis — both are free and explain the thinking behind each move. Try chess.com's free puzzle trainer to practice seeing moves before you make them. You're ready for the next step when you can name a resource, a positioning decision, and a timing moment from a game you played this week.

Build Your First Project

Pick one multiplayer or strategy game you play regularly and write a one-page "strategy guide" for a single level, map, or match scenario. Be specific — not "attack early" but "in Clash Royale, deploy the Giant at the 2:00 mark when your opponent has used their air defense." Use a free tool like Google Docs or Canva to lay it out clearly. If you play with friends in Salt Lake City, base it on a real match you played together. Include at least one diagram or map sketch showing positioning. You're ready for the next step when your guide gives enough detail that a teammate could follow it without you explaining anything extra.

Experiment & Iterate

Now take your strategy guide and test it in five real matches. Track what worked and what failed — keep a simple tally in a notebook. After each session, rewrite one section of the guide based on what you learned. This is how pros build "metas" — the constantly-evolving best strategies for a game. Watch how the YouTube channel "Hafu" or "DisguisedToast" adjusts strategies mid-game based on what the opponent is doing. Notice that good strategy is always reactive, not just planned. You're ready for the next step when you have updated your guide at least twice and can explain one thing that failed and why.

Advanced Techniques

Advanced strategy means modeling your opponent, not just optimizing yourself. Learn the concept of "counterplay" — every strong strategy has a weakness if your opponent reads it correctly. Watch "Core-A Gaming" on YouTube for deep dives into mind games and adaptation in fighting games, or study "theScore esports" for team strategy in League of Legends and Valorant. Try a session where you deliberately play a strategy you expect to lose with, then adjust mid-game. This teaches flexibility, which separates good players from great ones. You're ready for the next step when you can describe one strategy and its counter-strategy from a game you actually play.

Final Project Showcase

Create a final "Strategy Breakdown" presentation about one game you have studied all quest long. Include the core mechanics, two or three top strategies with diagrams, and the counterplay for each. Post it on a free site like Notion.so, share it in a Reddit community like r/competitivegaming or the subreddit for your specific game, or present it to friends at a gaming session. If your school has a gaming club — many Salt Lake City schools do — offer to lead a 10-minute strategy talk. You're ready for the next step when your breakdown has been seen by at least three people outside your household and you have answered at least one question about it.