Managers in Fantasy Premier League have the opportunity to give their points total a big boost by using their chips.
All FPL managers had four chips to use in the first half of the season - a Wildcard, Free Hit, Triple Captain and Bench Boost - and those same four chips were refreshed in Gameweek 20 for use between now and the end of the season.
Experienced managers tend to use their chips to navigate Blank or Double Gameweeks, which occur when Premier League matches clash with cup ties and have to be moved.
What are Blank and Double Gameweeks?
If you're new to FPL, here's a quick breakdown of the terminology.
There are 38 Gameweeks in a season. Generally, each Gameweek is made up of 10 matches, with each Premier League club playing once.
A Blank Gameweek occurs when at least two top-flight clubs DON'T have a Premier League fixture in a particular Gameweek.
This is a problem for Fantasy managers because it means any players from the clubs in question score ZERO points in FPL.
A Double Gameweek is when at least one club has TWO league fixtures in a given Gameweek.
This gives Fantasy managers an opportunity because the players from these clubs have two opportunities to score points.
Blank Gameweeks are caused by Premier League matches being postponed. Typically, these postponements come about because of a fixture clash with domestic cup competitions.
What does each chip do and how should you use it?
Wildcard
All transfers (including those already made) are free of charge.
The Wildcard is played when confirming transfers that cost points. It can’t be cancelled once played. When playing a Wildcard, you will KEEP your banked transfers.
A Wildcard is best saved for when your squad most needs an overhaul. This could be if you have multiple players injured, banned, out of form or not starting for their teams. However, it could also be used to target a particular set of fixtures for certain clubs.
The Wildcard should always be played with a long-term outlook in mind.
It could be saved and used to set up a Bench-Boost (see below), allowing you to stock up on a host of players who are about to have a Double Gameweek, while also spreading your funds around your 15-man squad, so that all of your players have a good chance of scoring points.
Gameweek 32 is likely to prove a popular week to play the Wildcard, with six clubs playing twice in Gameweek 33 before blanking in Gameweek 34.
If you have saved up multiple free transfers and have the Free Hit chip left to navigate the troublesome Blank Gameweek 34, saving the Wildcard until Gameweek 35 is also a strong option.
Free Hit
Make unlimited free transfers for one Gameweek only. At the next deadline, your squad is returned to how it was before those unlimited moves were made.
The Free Hit chip is played when confirming your transfers. It can’t be cancelled after being confirmed. It’s also worth noting that when playing your Free Hit chip, you will KEEP your banked transfers.
The Free Hit chip could be used to solve problems that occur in a Blank Gameweek.
Gameweek 34 is the biggest and most problematic Blank Gameweek of the season, with three matches postponed due to the FA Cup semi-finals. Chelsea, Brighton, Burnley, Man City, Leeds and Bournemouth WON'T play in Gameweek 34.
Playing the chip that week would allow you to remove problematic players for one week only. This would allow you to buy players who will play twice in Double Gameweek 33, without having to worry about the fact that those same players will "blank" in Gameweek 34.
Alternatively, the Free Hit chip could be used more aggressively in a Double Gameweek, such as Gameweek 33, enabling you to select 11 players who play twice, without having to worry about their long-term fixtures.
Bench Boost
The points scored by your benched players are included in your total.
The Bench Boost chip can be played when saving your team on the “Pick Team” page. It can be cancelled at any time before the Gameweek deadline.
The Bench Boost chip is most effective when all 15 of your players have a favourable fixture.
In a Double Gameweek, if you select 15 players who play twice, your squad would have a huge 30 chances to score points, instead of the usual 11 in a normal Gameweek.
The biggest Double Gameweek of the season will be in Gameweek 33, meaning it will be a popular week to Bench-Boost and load up on players with two fixtures.
Were you to play an alternative chip in Gameweek 33 instead, Gameweek 36 could be an option for your Bench Boost. The likes of Brighton, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest have favourable home fixtures.
Triple Captain
Your captain points are TRIPLED instead of doubled.
The Triple Captain chip can be played when saving your team on the “Pick Team” page. It can be cancelled at any time before the Gameweek deadline.
Playing the chip in a Double Gameweek on a premium player such as Erling Haaland (£14.4m) should Man City have two fixtures in a Gameweek, would give you TWO opportunities to pick up points.
For example, last season, Mohamed Salah (£14.0m) returned the highest score of the season in Double Gameweek 24, racking up a whopping 29 points.
As well as playing twice in Gameweek 33, after reaching the EFL Cup final Man City currently have a home fixture against Crystal Palace that needs to be rescheduled. This will lead to a second Double Gameweek for Haaland.