The Ultimate Strategy Guide for Bejeweled Champions & Dash (WorldWinner Edition)

14 Great Tips to Help You Get Higher Scores and Win

If you’ve ever told yourself, “just one more game” of Bejeweled Blitz (on Facebook) or Bejeweled Champions / Dash (on WorldWinner)—only to realize you’ve played 20 more—you’re not alone.

This fast-paced puzzle game from PopCap is highly addictive and seriously competitive. Whether you’re chasing your personal best, gunning for the top of the leader board, or just love watching gem explosions, this guide is for you.

I’ve been playing Bejeweled since the early days and have picked up plenty of insights along the way. Below are my best tips—including a few you won’t find anywhere else—to help you crush your next round.

Understanding the Game Structure

In Bejeweled Champions and Dash, you’re given a 3-minute window to score as many points as possible. The gameplay is continuous, with levels progressing as you fill up the level bar by making matches. Notably:

Level Progression: The game advances through levels as you fill the level bar, capping at Level 6. Once you reach Level 6, the objective shifts to maintaining that level and maximizing your score within the remaining time.
Special Gems: Creating special gems like Flame Gems, Star Gems, and Hypercubes can significantly boost your score.

1. Prioritize Speed and Efficiency

The faster you make matches, the more opportunities you have to create cascades and special gems. To enhance your speed:

Practice Pattern Recognition: Familiarize yourself with common gem patterns to quickly identify potential matches.
Don’t Overthink: Trust your instincts and make swift decisions to maintain momentum. If you make a mistake, no big deal—just keep going.

2. Focus on Level Advancement

Advancing through levels not only refreshes the board but also increases your scoring potential. To expedite level progression:

Make Consecutive Matches: Rapid matching fills the level bar more quickly, propelling you to higher levels.
Utilize Special Gems: Activating Flame Gems and Star Gems can clear large sections of the board, accelerating your progress.

3. Strategically Create and Use Hypercubes

Hypercubes are powerful tools that can clear all gems of a selected color. To maximize their effectiveness:

Combine Two Hypercubes: Swapping two adjacent Hypercubes clears the entire board, leading to massive point gains. While rare, setting up this combination can be a game-changer.
Target the Most Frequent color: When using a single Hypercube, choose the color that appears most on the board for maximum impact and better follow-up moves.

4. Plan Moves Ahead

Anticipating the outcome of your moves can set up larger combos and create special gems. To enhance your foresight:

Visualize Gem Movement: Consider where gems will fall after a match to plan subsequent moves effectively.
Set Up Chain Reactions: Position gems in a way that one match leads to another, creating cascades that boost your score.

With every move, we’re always hoping for the never ending cascade that just racks up points and advances us 2 levels ahead, and that can happen, but a slight amount of planning can also increase those chances. Also, a lot of small moves are great, but they’re also time consuming. Taking a second to look around the board can greatly help you.

5. Prioritize Creating Special Gems

While basic matches keep the game going, special gems significantly boost your score. To create them more frequently:

Match Four Gems: This creates a Flame Gem, which explodes and clears surrounding gems when matched. Try to move Flame Gems away from the borders of the game when using them to get maximum points.
Form T or L Shapes: These configurations produce Star Gems, which clear entire rows and columns when activated.
Align Five Gems: This results in a Hypercube, capable of clearing all gems of a specific color.

And don’t “save” special gems for too long. There’s always higher scoring on the next level (except for level 6), so use those special gems to help get you to higher scoring. Plus, you don’t want to get to the end of the game with a board full of special gems you never got to use.

6. Maintain Focus on the Bottom of the Board

Making matches near the bottom often leads to larger cascades, as falling gems can create additional matches. To capitalize on this:

Start Low: Begin your matching sequences at the bottom to maximize the potential for chain reactions.
Start at the top (sometimes): You can begin a game by quickly scanning the top for Star Gem or Hypercube opportunities—then work your way to the bottom for cascades.
Don’t neglect the bottom: If you haven’t made moves near the bottom in a while, shift your focus back there—especially if things feel “stuck.”

Vertical matches tend to open up the bottom of the board more than horizontal matches, so if you have a choice, try to do more vertical matches.

7. Use the Hint Button Judiciously

The Hint button can assist when you’re stuck but comes with penalties. To use it effectively:

Be Aware of Penalties: Using the Hint button subtracts points and decreases the level bar, but it can also save you valuable time if you’re stuck.
Reserve for Emergencies: Utilize hints only when no immediate matches are visible, and time is running out.
Stuck? Check the top of the board for a potential match that might have just come in. There’s a good chance there’s something up there to match.

8. Manage Special Gems Wisely

Accumulating special gems without using them can be counterproductive. To optimize their benefits:

Activate Promptly: Use special gems soon after creating them to clear large sections and potentially create new special gems.
Avoid Clutter: Leaving too many special gems on the board can limit your matching options.

9. Plan for Future Moves

Thinking ahead can prevent board lock-ups and create opportunities for high-scoring matches. To enhance your planning:

Identify Potential Matches: Always have your next move in mind to maintain game flow.
Set Up Combos: Position gems to facilitate consecutive matches, leading to higher scores.

10. Practice Consistently

Regular practice hones your skills and improves your reaction time. To build consistency:

Play Regularly: Frequent gameplay enhances familiarity with patterns and strategies.
Analyze Performance: Review your games to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly.

11. Create Your Own Rules (And Stick to Them)

As you get better at Bejeweled Champions or Dash, you’ll start to notice your own habits and preferences. That’s a good thing—lean into them. Developing a few personal “rules” for how you play can help you make quicker decisions and stay focused under pressure.

Here are a few examples:

Hypercube Default Rule: I usually match a Hypercube with red first, then orange, then any other color. Why? Clearing one color leaves more space for combos with the remaining gems—it often triggers chain reactions or sets up another special gem.
Section Rotation: I rotate through the board in sections—bottom left, bottom right, center, then upper sides. This helps avoid tunnel vision and keeps me spotting better moves.
If I See a Star Gem Setup, I Go For It: T- and L-shapes are worth creating even if they’re a little slower. That one move often leads to cascades or a multiplier-worthy explosion.

Creating simple, repeatable rules like these helps reduce hesitation and lets you play more instinctively—which is key in a timed game.

12. Watch How Others Play (YouTube Is Gold)

If you really want to level up your game, don’t just play—watch. Search for Bejeweled Champions or Dash game play on YouTube and study how top scorers play their rounds.

Look for things like:

How they move: Are they dragging, tapping, or using keyboard shortcuts?
What they prioritize: Do they always work the bottom? Do they pause to think?
How they use Hypercubes and Star Gems: You’ll often see clever setups or unexpected combinations.
When they scramble the board (if boosts are allowed)

Even watching a few games can give you new ideas and reveal blind spots in your own play-style. And sometimes, just seeing someone else’s rhythm helps you develop your own.

13. Target Certain Colors

When the board has fewer colors to work with, matches become easier to find—and more likely to chain. That’s why targeting specific gem colors can actually improve the board for future moves.

For example, if there aren’t many white gems and they’re easy to spot, try focusing on clearing them out first. Then pick a second color to go after. By removing low-frequency or high-contrast colors, you’ll reduce clutter and increase the concentration of the remaining colors—making matches and cascades more likely.

It’s a subtle move, but over time it can really open up the board and boost your scoring potential.

14. Balance Speed with Awareness

Speed is crucial in Bejeweled Champions and Dash—but being too fast can backfire. If you rush through every move without thinking, you might miss a valuable setup for a Flame Gem, Star Gem, or even a Hypercube.

The key is to develop a rhythm: move quickly through basic matches, but pause for just a split second when something catches your eye. A T-shape? An almost-formed 5-match? Take that half-second to capitalize on it.

Think of it like driving: go fast when the road is clear, but slow down when there’s an opportunity to take the perfect turn. It’s all about staying sharp while keeping the pace up.

Final Thoughts

Bejeweled Champions and Dash are games of speed, strategy, and foresight. By practicing regularly and using the tips above, you’ll build the instincts and rhythm needed to rise to the top.