Gambonanza Gambit Tier List - Every Gambit Ranked (1.5.x)
Not all Gambits are created equal. Three picks are literally game-warping the rest are filler, traps, or niche. Here's exactly where to spend your stock.
For context on how these fit into a full-game strategy, the Beginner Guide walks through early-game Gambit selection from scratch. Each tier also maps to specific Gambit cards - the All Gambits Guide has the full catalog with synergy pairings.
S-Tier Game-Warping Gambits
1 Jump’s Gambit The Best Movement Gambit in the Game
Why it’s S-Tier: Jump’s Gambit is the only movement utility with zero positioning requirements and universal application. Pawn walls, Crumble holes, and friendly pieces in the way stop mattering. It is an escape tool, a setup tool, and a combo enabler all in one card.
Best synergies: King (leap out of a blocked rank), Queen (ignore pawn walls), Rook (keep full range through Crumble holes)
Pro Tip: Jump’s Gambit lets a Knight reach squares it could never legally land on, over pawns and over holes. Use it to reach a Trap or Gold Tile the enemy assumed was safe.
see_also:
- title: ‘All Gambits Guide’ url: ‘/gambits/’
- title: ‘Deterministic Gambits Guide’ url: ‘/deterministic-gambits-guide/’
- title: ‘Card Database’ url: ‘/cards/’
2 Throne’s Gambit Free Bodies for Long Runs
Why it’s S-Tier: The win condition is simple: you lose when all your pieces are gone. A free King from every promotion means one more piece has to be captured before a game can end. Zero setup, zero positioning, and it scales with any pawn build.
Best synergies: Pawn builds (extra King per promotion), Squirrel’s (pawns that pay you on gain), Wrecking Ball’s (another King source)
Pro Tip: Throne’s plus Wrecking Ball’s means two independent King sources. Against bosses that snipe your best piece, every spare King is a turn the enemy has to spend removing a piece you got for nothing.
3 Resurrection Stone’s Gambit The Quiet Comeback
Why it’s S-Tier: In long runs, piece loss is the real boss. Resurrection Stone’s turns a tile engine you already built into a steady source of replacement pieces. Every conversion is a piece you did not have to spend money on, and the payoff grows the longer the run goes.
Best synergies: Phantom Tiles (each becomes a possible permanent piece), Graal’s Gambit (keeps feeding fresh tiles)
Pro Tip: Buy Resurrection Stone’s before you commit to a tile build, not after. It only pays off if you already have Phantom Tiles feeding it, so the tile engine comes first.
A-Tier Run-Defining Gambits
Silver Fork’s Gambit Multi-Threat Punisher
Best with: Knight (forks force the double threat), Rook (clears lanes so the Knight can reach two targets)
Phase: MID GAME
Pro Tip: The trigger checks all eight knight destinations. Move your Knight to a square that keeps two capture lines open at once and you roll the coin flip for free every turn.
Catapult’s Gambit Board Control King
Best with: Rook (every capture becomes a diagonal attack), Queen (a Queen that also launches is almost impossible to fence in)
Phase: EARLY GAME MID GAME
Pro Tip: The launch lands on a real square, so plan the diagonal so it ends on a Trap or Gold Tile. Kill, pressure, and tile effect from a single move.
War Horse’s Gambit Promotion Safety Net
Best with: Pawns promoted into Knights, Skydiver’s Gambit (land a pawn and promote on arrival)
Phase: MID GAME
Pro Tip: Pair with Skydiver’s Gambit and every pawn you land promotes on arrival AND comes in protected. A cheap source of hard-to-kill Knights.
Excalibur’s Gambit Knight Cluster Buff
Best with: Knights (cluster them), Knight + Pawn builds (the wall holds while the Knights hit)
Phase: LATE GAME
Pro Tip: Excalibur’s wants Knights next to each other. Two Knights side by side both get the buff, so pay the position cost once and cash it twice.
B-Tier Strong Situational Picks
Templar’s Gambit
Gaining a Rook also drops a random Protective Tile. Dropped from A to B in 1.3.0, when the trigger moved from 1/1 to 1/3.
Phase: EARLY GAME MID GAME Best with: Rook builds / Any piece you must keep alive Downside: At a 1/3 trigger the tile no longer shows up on demand, so you cannot plan a turn around it
-A Protective Tile only saves the piece on the turn it moves in. Keep advancing the protected piece onto fresh tiles and it never sits exposed for a full enemy turn.
Goddess’s Gambit
Your Queen moves on Knight lines too. Wide reach, but only while the Queen lives.
Phase: MID GAME Best with: Queen / Center tiles Downside: Only helps while your Queen is on the board
-A knight-moving Queen threatens squares no ordinary Queen can defend.
CEO’s Gambit
Legendary, $10. Makes a promotion permanent. Best in long runs.
Phase: LATE GAME Best with: Pieces you intend to promote Downside: Does nothing until you actually promote
-Pairs with Medal’s and War Horse’s. One permanent promoted piece can carry the back half of a run.
Beth’s Gambit
Rare, $7. Capturing the last enemy with your Queen pays extra money.
Phase: MID GAME Best with: Queen / Gold Tile Downside: Only pays on the final capture of the game
-Route the killing blow through your Queen on purpose to claim the bonus.
Rear up’s Gambit
A Knight-flavoured Gambit that pays off while your Knights are alive.
Phase: EARLY GAME MID GAME Best with: Knights / Any tile Downside: Does nothing if your Knights have been traded off
-Keep two Knights alive so the payoff never switches off. See the Knight and Pawn Meta guide.
Squirrel’s Gambit
Common, $6. Every Pawn you gain pays you $1.
Phase: EARLY GAME MID GAME Best with: Pawn-heavy decks, Throne’s Gambit Downside: Needs a steady stream of pawns to pay out
Spy’s Gambit
Epic, $8. Landing a piece creates a random Trap Tile in the same column.
Phase: MID GAME Best with: Piece-heavy builds that land often Downside: Trap placement is random within the column
Poacher’s Gambit
Rare, $6. When one of your pawns is captured, a Trap Tile appears on its square.
Phase: MID GAME Best with: Pawn walls, Makibishi’s Gambit Downside: You have to lose a pawn to trigger it
Wrecking Ball’s Gambit
Common, $6. When a Rook is captured you gain a King.
Phase: MID GAME LATE GAME Best with: Rook builds, Throne’s Gambit Downside: You have to lose a Rook to trigger it
Falling Crown’s Gambit
Epic, $10. Waiting can promote one of your pawns.
Phase: MID GAME LATE GAME Best with: Pawn builds, promotion strategies Downside: Ties up a turn you might need for tempo
C-Tier Niche / Filler Gambits
Makibishi’s Gambit
Drops a Trap on adjacent squares. Punishing, but too position-dependent to build around. Only pick if: You already run Trap Tile synergy. Phase: MID GAME
Banana Peel’s Gambit
Common, $6. A 1 in 10 chance each turn to skip the enemy turn. Fun, but you cannot plan around a coin flip. Only pick if: You want a cheap dice roll in an extra slot. Phase: MID GAME
Lemming’s Gambit
Epic, $5. Start the game with one extra pawn. A body is a body, but a lone pawn rarely changes a run. Only pick if: You run pawn-payoff Gambits like Squirrel’s. Phase: EARLY GAME
Squirrel’s Gambit
Common, $6. Every pawn you gain pays $1. Small, steady income that only matters in pawn-heavy builds. Only pick if: You expect to gain pawns all run. Phase: EARLY GAME
Resurrection Stone’s Gambit
$6. Phantom Tiles may produce a permanent piece. Strong in tile builds, dead weight without Phantom Tiles. Only pick if: You already have Phantom Tiles on the board. Phase: MID GAME
? Quick Reference Full Gambit Tier Table
| Tier | Gambit | Category | Best Phase | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Jump’s Gambit | Movement | All | Every build must-pick |
| S | Throne’s Gambit | Pieces | All | Extra body per promotion |
| S | Resurrection Stone’s Gambit | Tiles | Mid-Late | Quiet piece recovery |
| A | Silver Fork’s Gambit | Attack | Early-Mid | Coin-flip turn skip |
| A | Catapult’s Gambit | Movement | Late | Board control king |
| A | Templar’s Gambit | Defense | All | Free Protective Tile |
| A | War Horse’s Gambit | Pieces | Mid | Protected promotions |
| A | Excalibur’s Gambit | Combat | Mid | Knights get +1 attack |
| B | Goddess’s Gambit | Movement | Mid | Queen moves on Knight lines |
| B | CEO’s Gambit | Pieces | Late | Permanent promotions |
| B | Beth’s Gambit | Economy | Mid | Queen lands the last blow |
| B | Rear up’s Gambit | Combat | All | Knight payoff |
| B | Squirrel’s Gambit | Economy | Early-Mid | Pawns pay $1 each |
| B | Poacher’s Gambit | Tiles | Mid | Trap where a pawn dies |
| B | Spy’s Gambit | Tiles | Mid | Landing leaves a Trap |
| B | Falling Crown’s Gambit | Pieces | Mid | Waiting promotes a pawn |
| B | Wrecking Ball’s Gambit | Pieces | Mid | Rook death gives a King |
| C | Makibishi’s Gambit | Tiles | Mid | Trap synergy only |
| C | Banana Peel’s Gambit | Disruption | Mid | Fun but inconsistent |
| C | Lemming’s Gambit | Pieces | Early | Extra pawn only |
| C | Squirrel’s Gambit | Economy | Early | Pawn-payoff builds only |
| C | Resurrection Stone’s Gambit | Tiles | Mid | Tile builds only |
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Bookmark this page. I update the tier list when the meta shifts. 1.5.0 changed no Gambit numbers, so the rankings below carry straight over from 1.4.0.
Gambonanza Gambit Tier List - last reviewed September 26, 2026 for patch 1.5.x. Around 200 Gambits exist in game; the top picks are ranked individually here.
- Official Gambonanza Steam News - patch notes and balance changes
- Gambonanza Wiki - Gambits - community Gambit reference
Guide last updated: September 26, 2026 (patch 1.5.x).