- date • undated, probably from the late 1960s or early 1970s.
- title • Ten Tiddlywinks Strategies
- author • unknown
- source • a typewritten page in the Ferd Wulkan collection.
- original • PDF of scanned original
General strategy
Get as many winks out in as many places in vicinity of the pot (within 12 inches) – claiming areas on the mat by being there firstest with the mostest.
Attack defenseless winks
Try for winks that will not try to retaliate no matter how close you come,
- lf opposing player is to lose turn, and more importantly,
- If opponent is very likely to shoot a different wink on his next turn, perhaps for a double squop elsewhere on the mat.
Help partner
When trying to free winks, give preference to freeing a partner’s wink — in case anything happens your team gets two shots in that region. Also, try to isolate action of two against one – both attack a given area. (#2 is a method of offsetting an opponent’s use of #3).
Unwanted winks
In the early part of a game, take winks given to you; don’t gamble. In general, avoid risk unless you really need to squop or attack a wink. If a game is going well for the good guys, gambling becomes advisable – when you know the opponent won’t squop you if you miss.
Defense
Place free winks where they are most likely to be needed – within reach of piles you own or in areas where an opponent could land (by accident). Again, a partner should be one to defend a pile his compatriot controls.
Gromping
Squop winks as completely as possible – it makes shots harder for the forces of evil and increases likelihood of you getting (setting up) double squops.
Bombing
Deqsuop by knocking winks off as opposed to squopping them first (beware if pile is defended so that poor bomb attempt will become suicide mission).
Piddling
Playing with piles you own to free your own winks on the bottom of a pile. The general technique is squopping as completely as possible and then shooting on tangent so as to create a rotation off your wink.
Swivel shot
Used to destroy piles, especially if you are not in complete control (you are on part of pile and other wink(s) are free). Try to flip pile over on itself by shooting mainly bottom wink.
Launching pad
For low-level, close-range bombing. Use a squopped wink as a stationary point by shooting hard on the edge of your wink.