How to Play 2048: Rules and a Simple Winning Strategy

By Nesim Razon, independent Android developer

2048 is a number puzzle on a 4x4 grid. It looks random at first, but a simple routine gets you to the 2048 tile far more often. Here are the rules and the strategy most strong players use.

The rules

Swipe up, down, left or right to slide every tile as far as it will go. When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one tile with the sum, for example 2 and 2 become 4. After each move a new 2 or 4 appears. Reach the 2048 tile to win, then keep going for 4096 and beyond. The game ends when the board is full and no merge is possible.

Strategy: keep your biggest tile in a corner

• Choose one corner, for example the bottom-left, and keep your biggest tile there for the whole game.
• Mostly swipe in two directions (for example down and left) and use the other two only when you have to.
• Never swipe the direction that would pull your big tile out of its corner unless there is no other legal move.

Strategy: build a snake

Arrange tiles in a row from big to small, then continue the next row in the opposite direction, so the tiles form a snake. Then each merge feeds the next number in the chain and you can collapse the whole row at once.

More tips

• Keep the row along the edge full so it cannot jam.
• Do not chase small merges in the middle of the board: they scatter your numbers.
• Look one move ahead. Ask which tile will appear where, and whether you will still have a safe swipe.
• Use Undo for a clear mistake. The app lets you undo your last move.