Strategy-based games generated an income of $15.23 billion in 2023 and are estimated to increase that number by $37.58 billion by 2031. The rise in esports and multiplayer popularity is driving those figures, as strategic gaming has always been a classic. However, there are a variety of games that demand players who can think three moves ahead, including classics and modern video games.
Some games reward decisions that pay off many rounds or hours later, requiring some predictive decision-making and the ability to detect patterns. Still, the ultimate joy comes after thinking ahead, which allows gamers to unleash hell on their opponents down the line, whether reading opponents in poker, plotting attacks, or planning the defensive strategy. Here’s the list of games that demand players think ahead to implement long-term gameplay strategies, predict outcomes, and anticipate certain opponent moves.
- Poker
Poker has always demanded some form of forward-thinking to allow players to spot bluffs, read table flows, and adjust hand stories to change how tournaments unfold. You must always think three moves ahead when you play poker, particularly if you’re using platforms with over 50,000 opponents to compete against at 7-Card Stud, Texas Hold’em, or Pot Limit Omaha. These sites also welcome crypto payments for fast deposits and withdrawals that match the planned decision-making strategies of poker games. They also offer low buy-in options to practice forward-thinking strategies that could increase your chance of winning from the world’s largest online pot.
Being able to predict player behaviors and calculate the probabilities simultaneously adds depth. Every decision will depend on how you have read players over the past few rounds, whether you need to make a small blind raise or call. The top players use mental maps to memorize players’ tendencies, betting ranges, and fold percentages over a few rounds, giving them the ability to recognize better when opponents will shift gears or take a more aggressive stance. Thinking ahead is highly valuable in long-session tournaments.
- Chess
Chess is another all-time classic that rewards those who can think ahead. Every move will open and shut various possibilities, which is why expert players think 5-10 moves ahead. However, even three moves ahead will put you at an advantage as you’ll be able to foresee how other players will react to your strategy and adjust your plan without simply memorizing which openings exist.
Modern players use data engines to predict outcomes, but the game actually requires a lot of creativity and mental endurance. Top players combine tactical strategies with calm control to use fast attacks that support long-term positioning. Even the slightest miscalculation in a pawn move can disrupt the plan over 20 moves. Chess tests your patience while rewarding anticipation and strategic planning.
- Company of Heroes 3
Company of Heroes 3 relies on a lot of predictive decisions for victorious tactical moves as a real-time strategy game. An expert review of this two-year-old game mentions some shortfalls related to the audio and visual designs, but the title still rewards gamers who can think and plan ahead. Each unit change, capture order, or flanking exercise becomes part of the long-term outcome. You have to anticipate the routes enemies will use and the fronts that will open next.
Planning ahead is crucial in the Dynamic Campaign Map, where every decision about force deployment or city placements can influence future supply lines and defensive positions, even many hours later. Always think three moves into the future to manage war efforts, not just individual battles. The game relies on predictive gameplay.
- Dota 2
Dota 2 is a team-based strategy game that encourages players to think and plan ahead. Each hero selection, lane setup, or item choice can impact the entire session. You must outthink and outsmart opponents, not just beat them on the battlefield. Teams must set up clear vision traps, analyze opposing player patterns, and plan cooldowns effectively.
Soon enough, players start thinking about the team’s next rotation and how it can impact the map’s control for over 30 minutes. Good players consider where wards are placed, track their opponent’s item progress, and how they can rotate lanes to cut the “heroes of farm” off from their main supplies. Use the information visible in the game to outsmart others.
- Civilization VI
Civilization VI is an older title, but the strategy required also rewards patience and forward-thinking plans. A 2023 review of Sid Meier’s VI, which was released back in 2016, echoed various good opinions from the beloved title. Gamers can still enjoy a game that rewards the leaders who plan beyond a few turns. Those who plan entire eras and choose to settle in the right place will be victorious, as every decision influences hundreds of turns.
Even the AI-driven multiplayer matches demand thinking and planning ahead. Gamers who remember trade deals, betrayals, and alliances for many rounds can use them to their advantage against the AI characters that tend to forget. You can anticipate whether rivals will turn toward an aggressive stance or seek cultural wins.
- Helldivers 2
A 2024 review of Helldivers 2 shows how the fast-paced shooter also demands a lot of strategic planning. No single mission can end the same as another because every choice offers a wide range of freedom, which also means every decision has a consequence, even long after it was made. Strategic plans, map awareness, and well-planned coordination mean the difference between victory and loss.
Strategic planning also ensures players can approach supply drops, squad deployments, extractions, manage limited resources, and coordinate cooldowns more effectively. Those who think at least three moves ahead will be ready for reinforcements and plan defensive positions that prolong their survival. The game requires discipline in controlled chaos.
- Go
Go is what seems like a simple board game, but fans have long used predictive decisions and strategic planning to outwit others. Every move changes the entire balance of influence and control across the board, which encourages players to analyze each shift across the main control areas. While chess focuses more on set pieces and moves, Go expands the ability to anticipate moves by focusing more on patterns and less on sequences.
Enthusiasts mention how they use “reading ahead” techniques to visualize various possible outcomes that could occur over several moves. This allows them to anticipate certain reactions from opponents and separate tactics from emotions. Some players even identify threats that could force them to overreact to small placements that reveal a new territory. The game does require some creativity with the ability to think ahead.
Conclusion
Every game that encourages players to think three moves ahead is a winning title. These games allow players to practice patience, predictive decisions, and flexibility. Players can then improve how they bluff opponents on a poker table or how they safeguard their units in
Company of Heroes 3. Others can outsmart enemies long before the battle begins in Dota 2. Gamers who prepare mentally and think ahead outsmart their enemies while turning every decision into a step closer to victory.
