When To Snap & Retreat In Marvel Snap: Best Strategies For Ranked

One of the most fun, unique, and stressful mechanics in Marvel Snap is the dreaded snap feature. You can be enjoying your time in Marvel Snap, trying out new and exciting decks, but as soon as your opponent presses the snap button, things get personal. The snap mechanic, for those unaware, doubles the number of cubes at stake for both players. Normally, two cubes are levied from each party in a match. However, one person snapping doubles this to four cubes, and if both players snap, there are eight cubes at risk!

Just like in other games like Poker, knowing when to go all-in and when to fold is the difference between walking away with an entire haul of cubes or absolutely nothing. This article will explain the best strategies you can utilize to help understand when to snap or retreat in Marvel Snap.

When To Snap In Marvel Snap

The best time to snap in Marvel Snap is right before you make your swinging play. In most games, there will usually be a turn in which a key play decides the match's fate. Yes, there are times when both players will need to wait to see what happens on turn six, but understanding your win condition is key to knowing when to snap. 

For example, if your opponent has flooded the board with one-cost cards and you are holding Killmonger, you can feel confident snapping, knowing that you will erase their entire board. Alternatively, if you are holding The Infinaut and plan to drop your 20-power card on turn six, snap the turn before on your unsuspecting opponent. 

If you wait until you pull off your big play to snap, your opponent will likely retreat, minimizing the number of cubes you can obtain. It is usually a good idea to wait for at least a few turns before snapping. That being said, if you have all your combo pieces in your opening hand (for example, Sunspot, Storm, Jessica Jones, and The Infinaut), you can feel comfortable snapping on turn one. 

When To Retreat In Marvel Snap

You should retreat in Marvel Snap when your hand is bricked, or your opponent pulls off a game-winning play. Retreating in Marvel Snap ensures you lose fewer cubes, so in situations where you know you will lose the game, it is always better to retreat than take the loss. 

That being said, there is no reason to retreat before turn six if your opponent hasn't snapped yet. The number of cubes at stake only increases after a player snaps. This means you can stay in the game to see how things pan out and then retreat on turn six if necessary.

That's everything you need to know about snapping and retreating in Marvel Snap. 

For more Marvel Snap news, be sure to check out our dedicated section or take a look at some of our Guides & Tutorials just below: