Azul Strategy Guide: Tips for Competitive Play

Azul is a fantastic game for beginners but also offers surprising depth and competitiveness, especially within board game circles. While the 3–4 player variants are enjoyable and don’t drastically extend game time, Azul shines brightest in head-to-head, 1-vs-1 matchups. Below are some tips and strategies we've picked up through experience and by observing top-ranked players' approaches.

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SCORING

How Scoring Works in Azul

The goal is simple: score more points than your opponent. You earn points by placing colored tiles on your wall, with points awarded for tile connections during the game, and bonus points at the end. The game ends immediately once a player completes a full horizontal row.

During the Game (Tile Placement):

• Single Tile: 1 point if placed alone.

• Connected Tiles: Add up all directly adjacent tiles (vertically and horizontally).

  • Example: If your new tile connects to 2 tiles horizontally and 3 vertically, you score 5 points (2 + 3).

End Game Bonuses: When someone completes a row, the game ends, and bonus points are awarded:

• +2 points for each complete row

• +7 points for each complete column

• +10 points for each set of five of the same color on your wall

Whoever has the most points wins. In the case of a tie, the player with the most completed horizontal rows is declared the winner.

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GENERAL STRATEGY

• Aim for Columns and Sets: Try to complete a column early, then shift focus to completing a set of five tiles of the same color. Completing two columns can net huge placement bonuses.

• Pay Attention to Opponents: Watch other players’ boards and avoid fighting for the same tiles. If you’re both aiming for the same colors, you’ll end up blocking each other, which benefits other players.

• The First Player Token: Taking the first-player token isn’t always worth it. It scores negative points and fills up your floor row, increasing potential losses from future overflows. Be cautious.

• Choose Your Starting Column Wisely: Begin by targeting a specific column — the middle one is ideal, but columns two or four are also solid choices. Avoid columns one and five at the start. Build in a straight line when possible. Optimally, aim to construct your first column by building rightward on upper lines and leftward on lower ones for cumulative scoring.

• Avoid Disconnected Lines: Don’t start filling lines four and five in different columns until your first column is complete. You'll maximize scoring potential with a more focused strategy.

• Blocking Matters: Especially in 2-player games, blocking your opponent is essential. Deny them the tiles they need to complete a row, column, or set. You can also delay the end of the game this way. If you see a tile set that would score them big and there’s only one available pot, consider taking or redirecting it to disrupt their plan.

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DETAILED STRATEGY

• Always Fill Top 3 Lines: Focus on filling your top three lines every turn. The third line is usually the trickiest, so make it a priority early in each round.

• By Round 5, Hit Key Milestones: You should aim to have at least one complete row (to end the game) and one column done by the end of round five in 99% of games.

• First Turn Sacrifices: Don’t give up valuable tile sets just to go first — unless it’s round 4. Going first in round 5 can open up strong denial opportunities and better control over the endgame.

• Snag Big Sets Early (Sometimes): If there are 3 or 4 tiles of the same color on a factory, they’re likely to disappear fast. If you’re early in the round and can use them, just take them.

• Avoid Completing Sets Too Early: If you complete a set of five tiles of one color too early, opponents might exploit it by dumping unusable tiles on you, forcing them to your floor line. Try to finish sets later — ideally in the same round the game ends.

• Beware the Center in 4-Player Games: With more players, it’s easier for a large pile of the same color to accumulate in the center. If you're not careful, you could get stuck taking a huge batch of tiles you can’t use. Only let that happen if you’re absolutely sure you won’t be the one forced to take them.

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Azul

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