> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.smashandclash.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Playing well

> Where to start with a strategy - and what the house opponent punishes.

Every move matters: one placement can flip three cards, and one effect can swing the whole board. Some places to start:

* **Count the swing.** A capture moves a point off the opponent and onto you. Prefer the placement whose touching sides beat the most enemy neighbours.
* **Mind what you expose.** A low side facing an empty tile invites a capture next turn. Corners and edges expose fewer sides.
* **Hold your effects.** `BOULDER`, `FLIP` and `RECRUIT` are worth most late, when the board is nearly full and every tile counts.
* **Use the Mutators.**
  * A chess tile gives your card a second attack after a hop.
  * A power tile adds +1 or +2 to every side of a matching-colour card.
  * An overrun zone lets you re-take a surrounded centre tile.
* **Watch the clock.** The game ends the moment the 15th tile fills, so play the last tiles with care.

## A starting strategy

The SDK ships `greedyMove`: a placement that wins the most touching sides, else the first legal move. It's a baseline, not the house. Improve it by looking one move ahead:

```ts theme={null}
import { SmashAndClash, type PlayerView } from '@smashandclash/sdk';

function myStrategy(view: PlayerView, seat: 'A' | 'B'): string {
  // score each legal move: captures now, minus the sides you leave exposed
  // ...your heuristic here...
  return view.legalMoves[0];
}

await (await new SmashAndClash().games.startHouse({ strength: 1400 })).playOut(myStrategy);
```

<Note>
  The house plays at the strength you ask for. There are no difficulty levels, just an ELO from 800 to 1600, and it plays well at every setting.
</Note>


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