Tips pickomino

Remember: the numbers don't matter; it's the number of insects you collect. Always have your opponent's and your own insect counts in mind to determine how risky you should play. In a close match where your points differ by only one or two insects, you should generally play it safer.

When you start the game, you are at no risk of losing tiles, so it's always better to risk going for larger-valued tiles with three or four insects rather than just collect a tile with one or two insects. This is also true whenever you have no tiles. One larger-valued tile with four insects is going to be better than two or three tiles with only one or two insects, so you can afford to fail one turn if the opponent is only managing to pick up lower-valued tiles. (For an example, see #1 below.)

When starting your roll, keep in mind, you have to have at least one claw in order for your final roll to be valid. However, you typically need at least two or three each of claws, 5s, and 4s in order to be able to collect the higher-valued tiles. If you don't see multiples of the higher numbers, collect a single 1, 2, or 3. (For an example, see #4 below.)

Also keep in mind your opponent's last collected tile is always available to steal. You should target your rolls to steal their tile whenever possible, even if it means taking their lesser-valued tile over the chance for a higher-valued tile, though it may situationally depend on what the other available tiles are. (For examples, see #6 and #7 below.)

On subsequent rolls, you'll need to balance the number of remaining dice you have with the numbers you have available to roll for and the tiles you have available to collect, as well as ensure you have a claw to ensure your roll is valid, but the same general rule applies: take multiples of claws, 5s, and 4s. You do not want to be left with less than four dice without a claw, however, so prioritize getting a claw if a better-valued selection would leave you with less than four dice without one.

Here are some examples of rolls and how you might want to prioritize your selections for different scenarios:

1.) Starting roll: Two claws, three 5s, two 2s, one 1. Last collected tile: none. Collect the three 5s. You can afford going for larger-valued tiles and not taking the claws straight away since you have no tiles to risk losing.

2.) Starting roll: Two claws, three 5s, two 2s, one 1 Lowest valued tile available: 24 Last collected tile: 30 (three insects) Here it's better to collect the two claws. You don't want to risk losing your 30 tile, so it's best to secure the claws since they're readily available and try to collect multiple 5s and 4s on subsequent turns.

3.) Starting roll: Two claws, four 5s, two 2s Lowest valued tile available: 29 Last collected tile: 22 (one insect) Collect the four 5s. Since the lowest available tile is 29, you have to aim for a high-valued tile, so it will be easier to risk collecting the claw among your four remaining dice and rolls after securing twenty points from the four 5s and then collecting either a single 4 or some combination of 2s and 3s. In the worst case, you only lose one insect by giving up the 22 tile.

4.) Starting roll: One claw, One 5, One 4, One 3, Two 2s, One 1 Collect the 1. You'll want to keep the possibility of having multiples of higher numbers open. Situationally you may want to consider the 3 instead if you feel like you have a better chance of stealing the opponent's card with it, but it's a low probability either way for that to really matter on your starting roll.

5.) Starting roll: One 5, Two 3s, Three 2s, Two 1s.

Collect either the 5 or the two 3s. It depends on the situation, but if there are lower tiles available, the 5 is the safer bet as you'll have more dice available to hopefully collect multiple claws in the next roll. If there are only higher-valued tiles, you should take the two 3s to keep the 5s in play and hope for multiples of the higher numbers in subsequent rolls.

6.) Collected dice: Two claws (Value of 10). Opponent's last collected tile: 22 (one insect) Current roll: Three 5s, three 4s Collect the three 4s and take the opponent's tile. Taking the three 5s would guarantee you a value of 25 with four numbers remaining, but a 25 tile is only worth two insects, and by taking the opponent's 22 tile, they're losing one insect while you're gaining one insect, effectively doing the same thing. Having only three dice remaining also makes it more difficult to roll what you need for a higher-valued 29 or higher, so it's better to just take what is already guaranteed.

7.) Collected dice: Two claws. Opponent's last collected tile: 22 (one insect) Remaining tiles: 25 (two insects), 30 (three insects), 31 (three insects) Second roll: Three 5s, three 4s Here it's better to actually take the three 5s and grab the 25 tile instead of taking the three 4s and stealing the opponent's 22 tile because it will be a lot harder for the opponent to roll a 30 or higher or roll exactly 25 to steal your 25 tile on their turn.

8.) Collected dice: Two 5s, One 3 (Value of 13).

Current roll: One claw, Three 4s, One 2.

Here it depends on what tiles are available. If lower numbers are available in the pool, take the claw, as it's still possible to hit a 25 with a single 4 and a 3 among the remaining four dice. If only higher numbers are available, however, you should take the three 4s and hope you can get a claw from the remaining two dice, as the three 4s would get you to a value of 25, and the subsequent claw would then put you at 30.