Wallz strategy

Think in moves, not walls

The whole game reduces to one comparison: the length of your shortest path to your goal versus the length of theirs. Whoever needs fewer turns gets there first. A pawn move shortens your path by one. A wall spends your turn to lengthen their path, but only if you place it well. The single most useful habit you can build is to keep a rough count of both shortest paths in your head.

Don't burn walls early

You only get ten walls for the entire game, and they are your only leverage. Scattering them in the opening, before you know which way your opponent will commit, usually wastes them. Walls gain value as the board fills and detours become harder to escape. Hold them until they bite.

Block the shortest path, not the pawn

A common beginner mistake is dropping walls right next to the opponent's pawn wherever it happens to be. What matters is their route to goal. The best wall forces a detour on the path they actually intend to take.

• If a wall doesn't increase their shortest-path length, it did nothing; they just walk around it.
• The strongest walls add two or more steps to their route for the one turn they cost you.
• Funnel, don't cage. Since you can never fully seal someone in, aim to push them the long way around rather than trying to trap them.

Keep your own lane open

Walls are double-edged. A wall placed to slow your opponent can accidentally lengthen your own route, or hand them a wall they can build off of to box you. Before you place, check that your own shortest path is still as short as you think. Tempo you lose to your own walls counts exactly the same as tempo your opponent takes from you.

Use the jump

In close quarters the jump and diagonal-jump rules can save you a move or slip you past a developing block. When the pawns meet in the middle, think about whether stepping into contact lets you leap toward your goal next turn instead of walking around.

Race when you're ahead

If your path is shorter than your opponent's and they don't have enough walls left to flip that, the game is already won, so stop fiddling with walls and run. Count it out: compare the two shortest-path lengths and how many walls they have left. If they can't add more delay than the lead you hold, every wall you place instead of moving is a turn you gave away.

Mind the clock

In fast time controls a won position is only won if you don't flag. When you're clearly ahead, simplify: make the obvious forward move and bank your time rather than calculating a perfect one. The best way to build this instinct is reps. Play the computer at a difficulty that pushes you, then take it into ranked.