9 Tips For Better Dutch Blitz Strategy [Win More!]

Dutch Blitz is a game filled with great fun and good memories to make with family and friends. 

But it’s even sweeter when those memories are full of victories, right? 

I’ve been playing Dutch Blitz for a while now, and my wife and I tend to win a lot. 

We’ve developed some strong Dutch Blitz strategy we’d like to share with you to help you take your game to the next level. 

Let’s deal the cards! 

Empty That Blitz Pile First

It seems obvious, but in a game where you’re racing to get out of the Blitz Pile first, you want to play those Blitz cards every chance you get. 

I’m saying here that I see many people choose to play from the Post Piles before the Blitz. 

I don’t know if it’s to create more space in the Post or because they didn’t see the card in the first place, but you always need to keep the Blitz first in your mind. 

Remember, every card left in your Blitz Pile is worth -2 points at the end of the hand. 

So whether you go out or someone else does, it’s in your best interest to get as many cards out as possible.

Avoid Stacking On Post Piles From The Wood Pile

Stacking Post Cards in descending order is a great way to get unstuck in Dutch Blitz, but you don’t want to use it too much. 

For those who forgot or never learned, in Dutch Blitz, you’re allowed to stack in DESCENDING order on the Post Piles as long as the cards alternate boy-girl. 

Think of how we stack in Solitaire similarly. 

But unlike Solitaire, we don’t always want to stack on the Post. 

This freezes the cards above and makes it harder to clear out space to move your Blitz Card over. 

For this reason, stacking on the Post from the Wood Pile every chance you get isn’t a good idea unless you’re stuck. 

If you have nothing else to play, you should stack to unfreeze your play and access different cards. 

But outside of this, you’ll quickly find a whole bunch of cards you can’t play. 

Plus, Post cards are worth nothing in the end, to the good or the bad. 

It’s better to hold off. 

You may also want to learn what to do when no one can go in Dutch Blitz and other rare rules of the game. 

Stack Post Piles First When It’ll Help You Move A Blitz Card

All of the above being said, there is a time when you want to stack on the Post Piles right away. 

My wife doesn’t always agree with this strategy, but it works for me, and she begrudgingly acknowledges it works well for me most of the time. 

When you see the chance to “make an opening” for a Blitz card or stack a Blitz card on top of another, do it right away. 

This will essentially give you more chances to get those Blitz cards out. 

Essentially, this is a combination of the two previous tips, but following this tip will help you go out faster than your opponent. 

Going out sooner means a higher score in Dutch Blitz. 

Watch Out For What The Others Have

This is a high-level strategy for experienced players. 

Newer players shouldn’t attempt this, or they’ll be overwhelmed quickly. 

As you play, look at the opponents and what they have. 

Take particular note of cards they have that match your cards. 

If they have one below but close to yours in value, this is one to watch. 

When they have the chance to play this card, get ready because your chance will be coming up soon. 

Here’s an example: 

Let’s say you have a Green 5 on the top of your Blitz pile. 

As you play, you notice another player has a Green 4 in their post pile. 

You see someone else add a Green 3 onto a Green 2 in the Dutch Pile. 

You get ready to play as the other player gets their Green 4 ready. 

It saves time and allows you to steal some spots away from other players with the same card. 

Mentally Sort By Color And Range Of Number

Another high-level trick is to sort your card mentally by number and general number range. 

As Dutch Piles fill up, you’ll be able to better note when they get close to what you have, so you can adjust your attention to them when the time is right.

I like to sort mine into Low (1-4), Middle (5-7), and High (8-10) in my head and by color. 

Here’s a small example: 

My cards are: 

• Green 2
• Red 5
• Red 10
• Yellow 8 (Blitz)

If it’s early in the game, I would almost ignore then Red 10 and Yellow 8, knowing they won’t be played for a minute.

I would keep an eye on any red piles as they got close to the Red 5. 

And I’d be on a constant lookout for anyone to start a Green 1 pile, so I could jump on it right away. 

Don’t Get Caught Up In Beating (Or Losing) A Single Card

With everyone racing to play off the same cards in the middle Dutch Piles, there will be many instances where two people try to play the same card at the same time. 

Whoever gets their card down first gets it. That’s the rule. 

But it’s often heated enough that some people will slightly argue. It’s all in good fun most of the time, but it’s a great opportunity to save time too (or lose it). 

When I see people give in to the friendly trash talk, I keep playing and can often get a few cards in before they resume play. 

If you’re involved in the battle for the card spot, it’s sometimes best to quickly give it up and keep playing in other ways. 

There’s plenty to play in Dutch Blitz; you’ll make it up. 

As fun as it is to rib each other, avoid it, or you’ll waste time and cards. 

Unless you’re my wife, she has an uncanny ability to trash talk and play without missing a beat either way! 

Play Often

Seeing the colors and cards in Dutch Blitz gets easier with time, and the more you play, the more you’re able to process the game as a whole, rather than just what you have. 

If you really want to get better, it just takes time. 

If you’re looking for other games similar to this, check out Nerts.

It’s basically the same thing, with some slight differences.

Learn more in our Dutch Blitz vs. Nerts comparison.

Get High Cards Off Your Blitz Pile Right Away

High cards on your Blitz Pile are the worst. 

When you flip over a 10, you know it’s going to be a long hand. 

While you don’t want to alter your play strategy altogether, when you have a 10 or another high card on the Blitz, do everything you can to move it as soon as possible. 

If this means stacking Post Piles (even using Wood Pile cards), do it. 

It’s better to free up your Blitz Pile. 

Although, if you turn up another 10, I’m sorry. It happens to all of us sometimes! 

Play The Wood Pile As Much As Possible

A lot of folks wonder if they need to play a Wood Pile card if it can be played. 

While you don’t have to, there’s no good reason not to. 

Yes, it’s generally better to play Blitz and Post cards first; if that’s not an option, don’t avoid playing a Wood card just to wait for another opportunity. 

Each one you get into the middle Dutch Piles is still worth a positive 1 point. 

Those add up quickly and make a big difference in the game.