Although luck plays a small role because new tiles appear unpredictably, success in 2048 depends heavily on strategy. Players must think about both their current move and the possible consequences of that move. One common strategy is to keep the largest tile in one corner of the board. For example, a 2048 player may choose the bottom-left corner and try to keep the highest-value tile there. The other tiles can then be arranged around it in descending order. Another important principle is to avoid making unnecessary movements. Every movement changes the arrangement of the board and may create or remove opportunities for future combinations. A careless move can break a carefully organized structure. Players must also pay attention to empty spaces. Empty spaces provide flexibility because they allow tiles to move and combine. When the board becomes almost completely full, the number of available choices decreases dramatically. Therefore, maintaining open spaces is an important part of successful gameplay. The game encourages players to think several steps ahead. A player might see that two identical tiles can be combined immediately, but that combination may not always be the best choice. The player must consider where the resulting tile will be placed and whether it will help or harm future moves.