Jonas Sand Labakk's Winning Chip Strategies for 2023/24

 Jonas Sand Labakk's Winning Chip Strategies for 2023/24

Erling Haaland of Manchester City poses with Phil Foden and the Premier League trophy after the Premier League match between Manchester City and West Ham United at Etihad Stadium on May 19, 2024 in Manchester, England(Image-Getty)

World No. 1 Jonas Sand Labakk Discusses His Successful Chip Strategy in Fantasy Premier League

The Secrets to Success

Jonas Sand Labakk, the 2023/24 Fantasy Premier League champion, shares the strategies and tactics that helped him secure the title. A key component of his success was the effective use of chips throughout the season.

 Being Adaptable

Labakk's season began with promise, as he positioned his team within the top 24,000 after the first five Gameweeks. However, a series of poor performances resulted in his ranking plummeting to around 162,000. Faced with this setback, Labakk decided to overhaul his early-season plans and activate his Wildcard in Gameweek 8, earlier than initially planned.

"My plan was always to Wildcard in Gameweek 9 or 10," says Labakk. "But my team's performance was deteriorating, and after two consecutive red arrows, I knew I had to make a change. I activated the Wildcard less than a day before the deadline, a move that proved to be highly successful."

Labakk retained only four of his 15 players: Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Bryan Mbeumo, and Cameron Archer. His new additions, including Diogo Dalot, Son Heung-min, and Ollie Watkins, delivered strong performances in Gameweek 8, helping him climb the rankings.

By the end of Gameweek 13, Labakk's revised strategy had propelled him to 396 in the overall rankings.

 Playing Your Own Game

Maintaining momentum from his successful Wildcard, Labakk broke into the top 20 by Gameweek 26 and remained there for the rest of the season. His ascent to the top of the overall standings came during Double Gameweek 34, when his Free Hit chip earned him 143 points.

Labakk emphasizes the importance of independent thinking in chip strategy. Instead of following the crowd, he made decisions based on his team's specific needs. For example, in Blank Gameweek 29, when only four matches were scheduled, he chose to make short-term transfers rather than using a chip, planning to play his Wildcard in Gameweek 30.

A record 1.7 million managers played their Free Hit in Blank Gameweek 29, a move that Labakk believes was influenced by popular content creators. "Chip strategies are very team-dependent," he says. "It's easy to be influenced by big accounts, but you need to think for yourself."

Targeting Double Gameweeks for Big Gains

Labakk's strategic use of chips during Double Gameweeks was a significant factor in his success. He played his Triple Captain chip on Haaland in Double Gameweek 25, when Manchester City had two matches. He then used his Free Hit and Bench Boost in Double Gameweek 34 and Double Gameweek 37, respectively.

"Double Gameweeks offer more upside," Labakk explains. "Nailing the Blanks and Doubles is crucial because that's where you see the biggest swings." In Double Gameweek 34, Labakk took calculated risks, such as selecting Ben White over more popular Arsenal defenders and choosing Jean-Philippe Mateta over Haaland, which paid off handsomely.

These strategic decisions allowed Labakk to stand out from his competitors and move into the top spot. "You have to take a few risks," he says, "but not as many as people might think."

Conclusion

Labakk's triumph in the 2023/24 FPL season underscores the importance of adaptability, independent thinking, and targeted chip usage. By carefully planning his moves and making informed decisions, he was able to outperform nearly 11 million other managers and claim the FPL title.