Fantasy Premier League has changed the way chip strategy works, and many managers still haven’t adjusted. For years, the golden rule was simple: save your biggest chips for the late-season double gameweeks. That was how you squeezed out those extra points when teams played twice.
But this season, that old approach no longer applies. FPL now gives you two full sets of chips. One set for Gameweeks 1–19, and another completely fresh set from Gameweek 20 onwards. The crucial detail is this: your first-half chips expire at the Gameweek 19 deadline. If you don’t use them, you lose them.
So instead of saving chips and waiting for perfect conditions, you now need to think differently.
What Chips Do You Get Twice?
At the start of the season, you have all four chips:
- Wildcard
- Free Hit
- Bench Boost
- Triple Captain
Examples:
- Triple Captain: You can use it on Haaland for GW15 vs Sunderland or GW17 vs West Ham rather than saving it for DGWs.
- Bench Boost: When your entire squad is fit and starting
- Free Hit: When early fixtures get messy or teams blank due to international tournaments, especially AFCON.
- Wildcard: To fix early mistakes or attack emerging form, or injuries.
Then, right after Gameweek 19, all four are refilled and ready for use again. It’s basically a reset button halfway through the season.
Why Does This Change Everything?
Many managers will instinctively fall back into the old habit of waiting for double gameweeks. But doubles usually come later in the season and by then, your first-half chips are already expired.
The new system means:
- Using a Triple Captain early isn’t risky anymore
- You can Bench Boost whenever your squad looks strong
- A well-timed Free Hit in the first half won’t cost you later
- You can use your Wildcard aggressively to attack form or fixture swings
Once Gameweek 20 arrives, you’ll get another Triple Captain, another Bench Boost, another Free Hit, and another Wildcard, plenty of firepower to handle the blanks and doubles that come later.
Think of the Season in Two Mini-Blocks. A simple mindset shift solves the entire strategy:
Mini-Season 1: GW1 to GW19
Use your chips to gain early momentum. Don’t stress about saving anything for April or May, because this set won’t live that long.
Mini-Season 2: GW20–38
This is where traditional chip strategy returns, saving power chips for blank and double gameweeks.
When Should You Use Your First-Half Chips?
You don’t need the “perfect” week. You just need a good one.
Final Thoughts
This season rewards managers who adapt early. The people who still cling to the old double-gameweek mentality will end up letting chips expire and that’s wasted potential.
So the message is simple and worth repeating:
Use your chips before Gameweek 19. You’re getting all of them back anyway. Play boldly in the first half. Plan smartly in the second. That’s how you win in the new FPL era.
