The final 10 gameweeks of the FPL season are where chips win or lose mini-leagues. If you still have one or more chips available, deploying them at the right moment can swing dozens of points in your favour. Get the timing wrong, and you waste your most powerful tools.
Here is a structured approach to chip strategy for the run-in.
Understanding Each Chip
Wildcard
The Wildcard allows you to make unlimited free transfers in a single gameweek. It is the most powerful chip in the game because it lets you completely reshape your squad. The key is to use it before a run of favourable fixtures, not as a reaction to a bad gameweek. A well-timed Wildcard sets up your team for 5-6 strong gameweeks, not just one.
Bench Boost
Bench Boost scores points from all 15 players in your squad instead of just the starting 11. It is most effective in a double gameweek when you can field 15 players who all have two fixtures. The expected points gain from a well-executed Bench Boost is typically 15-25 points — but only if your bench players actually have good fixtures.
Triple Captain
Triple Captain triples your captain’s points instead of doubling them. The upside is enormous — a captain who scores 15 points becomes 45 points instead of 30. But the downside is equally painful: a captain who blanks with 2 points gives you 6 instead of 4, wasting the chip for a gain of just 2 points. Target a premium player with a home fixture in a double gameweek for maximum expected value.
Free Hit
Free Hit lets you make unlimited transfers for a single gameweek, after which your squad reverts to its previous state. It is designed for blank gameweeks (when many teams do not play) or for targeting a specific set of fixtures that your current squad is poorly set up for.
The Optimal Chip Schedule
While the exact schedule depends on when double and blank gameweeks are confirmed, here is the general framework that has worked consistently across multiple FPL seasons:
Step 1: Identify the Double Gameweeks
The Premier League typically schedules double gameweeks in the final quarter of the season to accommodate FA Cup and Champions League fixture rearrangements. These are the weeks where Bench Boost and Triple Captain deliver the most value because players have two chances to score points.
Check the FPL360 Fixture Difficulty tool regularly — we update it as soon as double gameweeks are confirmed.
Step 2: Wildcard Before the Biggest Double
Use your Wildcard 1-2 gameweeks before the largest double gameweek. This lets you build a squad specifically designed to maximise Bench Boost or Triple Captain. Target players from teams with double fixtures, prioritise home matches, and ensure your bench is strong enough to contribute meaningful points.
Step 3: Bench Boost on the Double
Activate Bench Boost in the double gameweek where you have the most players with two fixtures. Ideally, all 15 of your players should have two games that week. This is why the Wildcard comes first — you use it to build the perfect Bench Boost squad.
Step 4: Triple Captain on a Second Double
If there is a second double gameweek, use Triple Captain on your best premium player. Salah or Haaland with two home fixtures is the dream scenario. Even if they only have one home and one away, the expected points from a premium asset in a double gameweek makes Triple Captain worthwhile.
Step 5: Free Hit on the Blank
Save your Free Hit for the blank gameweek when multiple teams do not play. This lets you field a full 11 of players who actually have a fixture, while everyone else scrambles with a depleted squad.
What If You Have Already Used Some Chips?
If you have already used your Wildcard, focus on saving free transfers to build towards the double gameweek manually. Two free transfers per week — by banking one and using two — can reshape your squad over 3-4 gameweeks without needing the Wildcard.
If you have already used Bench Boost, Triple Captain becomes your primary chip for the double gameweek. Pick the single best captaincy option and commit to it.
If you have used everything except Free Hit, save it for the blank gameweek. It is the most impactful chip in a blank because the points difference between a full team and a depleted one can be 30+ points.
Mini-League Context Matters
Before deciding your chip strategy, check what chips your rivals still have. Use the FPL360 Dashboard to see chip status for every manager in your league. If your closest rival still has Bench Boost and you do not, you need to account for the potential points swing when they play it.
If you are leading your mini-league, mirror your rivals’ chip timing where possible to neutralise their advantage. If you are chasing, consider playing your chips on different weeks to create separation — you need points swings, not cancelled-out advantages.
Final Thought
The best chip strategy is one you plan in advance and execute with discipline. Do not waste chips on impulse. Map out the remaining gameweeks, identify the doubles and blanks, and commit to a schedule. The managers who plan their chips win the mini-league. The ones who play them reactively finish second.
