Scratch

If you need some assistance winning the game of Chomp, then you've come to the right place.

Chomp has no "winning" move from turn one, you can just play the game well.
Chomp has a few simple shapes to avoid or cause the other player to have to play:
(Don't hate on my names :])



Two Columns
If you ever get a position that is a two-wide rectangle, always choose the upper-right block.

##                   #
## becomes  ##
##                   ##

If you continue to play this pattern, it will repeat itself until the other is forced to take block 11, in either a Triangle of Doom or One Column.



Triangle of Doom
If you can ever get the opponnent to play on a triangle of doom, he will lose.

#                                  #
##  becomes  ##  or  #  becomes  #  becomes  X

Avoid these at all costs.



One Column
One of the simplest, just choose the block that leaves the other with no choice but 11.

#
#
#  becomes  #  becomes  X

Just don't get fooled into playing one of these.


Square of Doom
For any square, choose 22.

###                    #
###                    #
###  becomes  ###

This will force the opponent into Breaking the Equality.

Breaking the Equality
You never want to "break the equality." If the last row and last column both have the same number of pieces,  whoever has to play loses, if the other mirrors their moves...

#
#                        #                          #
###  becomes  ###  becomess  ##

If you mirror their moves, then they will be forced into a Triangle of Doom.





And that's it. Follow these 5 rules and you'll win, almost all of the time. :)