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Last weekend saw the return of the world's richest football league, the English Premier League. With that, the popular Fantasy Premier League also came back to everyone's computer screen. As FPL managers scramble their minds on whom to transfer in and out every week, there is one key aspect to keep in mind - the chips.
Fantasy Premier League gives its players four chips which can be used once a season. Using them rightly or wrongly can make a huge difference in your final position for the competition.
Hence, understanding them and using them at the right time is the most important task in the game. Below, we take a look at the ideal time to use each chip.
#4 Free Hit
This chip allows players to completely change their team for one week. Like the wildcard chip, when you use the 'free hit' no points are deducted.
However, the difference with the free hit chip is that the changes you make will only stay for one game week and your original team will return afterward.
The ideal time to play this chip is in either game week 31 or 33. Those two sets of fixtures clash with the FA Cup Quarter-Final and Semi-final and hence are likely to see a lot of teams missing players.
Using the free hit will allow you to put players in your team whose sides have fixtures that week. Without using it, managing those two game weeks can be a major headache.
#3 Bench Boost
The bench boost chip enables FPL managers to get points for their entire squad in a single week rather than just the chosen starting XI. The ideal time to play this chip is during a double game week.
Doing this will enable one's team to gain points from more matches Traditionally double game weeks have been held in game week 34 or game week 37, however, the exact schedule is only announced later into the season.
So which week to chose to play the chip in? You will only know the answer once the rescheduling is done.
Chose the week in which the maximum number of your players has two games and also look at when are the fixtures easier.
#2 Triple Captain
The triple captain chip enables a player to gain triple points rather than double points from the captain of the team.
Like bench boost, the best time to play this feature is also in a double game week as you gain triple points for two games rather than one.
Once you decide which game week you prefer playing the bench boost in, use the other double game week for 'triple captain'. Choose an attacking player who has the easiest fixtures in the game week.
#1 Wildcard
The wildcard allows FPL players to completely change their team without taking any hits. This essentially means that one can make an unlimited amount of transfers without losing any points.
The game allows a wildcard to be played twice over a season. Once in the first half of the season and once in the second half. This means the first one could be used until the last week in December while the other from any time after the New Year.
Without a doubt, when to use the wildcard is the biggest dilemma and the most subjective question. Its a call the player has to take into account looking at this own squad. The one thing to keep in mind here is not to rush using the card.
The game is all about patience and it pays not to get desperate to play it if your players have not given good scores for a couple of weeks. Use it early only if you own a lot of players who are not starting or your squad is filled with injuries.
Otherwise, hold the card for as long as possible until you are sure about which players are giving the most points this season and who are the best budget picks. Having said that if you are rapidly falling behind your competitors in your mini league's then take the gamble and play it after a month or so.
Apply the same rationale for the second wildcard but also keep in mind the fixtures. Try and keep the wildcard available till late March and pick players keeping in mind which teams are going to have double game weeks.
