Power Grid Final-Round Puzzles

The endgame lesson gave you the final-round order and a checklist. This lesson turns it into practice. Each puzzle is a made-up position with round numbers. Read the setup, find your answer, then read ours.

Remember the rules that decide them: the game ends after the build phase in which someone reaches the trigger, then the player who powers the most cities wins. Ties go to the most money left.

Puzzle 1: the city that scores nothing

Setup. Four players, so the game ends at 17. Another player will reach 17 this round. Fuel is already on your plants.

• You: 16 cities, plants that power 16 in total, and 40 Elektro.
• Your closest rival: will finish with 16 powered cities and about 30 Elektro.
• The cheapest city you can add costs 25.

Should you build it?

Answer. No. A seventeenth city does not add a powered city, since your capacity is 16. It only costs 25 Elektro, which leaves you with 15. You would tie the rival at 16 powered and lose the tie, 15 to 30. Without the build, you tie at 16 and win the tie, 40 to 30.

The lesson: in the final round, a city past your capacity is not a point. It is money given away.

Puzzle 2: plant or cities

Setup. Four players, end at 17. A rival will trigger the end this round. It is Step 3.

• You: 14 cities, three plants powering 5, 5, and 4, all fueled. 90 Elektro.
• The market holds an eco plant that powers 5 and burns no fuel. Say its minimum bid is 40, and nobody else can afford to bid on it, so it will cost you 40.
• Each new city near you costs about 22, all in.

What is your best final count?

Answer. Compare the two plans.

• Cities only: 90 buys 4 cities at 22, so 18 cities. But capacity is still 14. You power 14.
• Plant first: buy the eco plant for 40 and scrap the 4-city plant. Capacity is now 15, with no fuel to buy for it. 50 left buys 2 cities, for 16. You power 15, with 6 Elektro left.

The plant line wins by a city. Cities without capacity are the most common final-round mistake at every level.

Puzzle 3: starving the leader

Setup. Five players, end at 15. It is the final round. Fuel goes in reverse order, and you buy right before the leader.

• The leader: 14 cities and the cash to build 2 more this round, which ends the game. Plants powering 6, 5, and 5. Their 6-city plant needs 3 oil, and it is empty. Their other plants are full.
• You: after your build you will power 15, and you have an oil plant with room to store 2 more oil.
• The market holds 4 oil: 1 at 6 and 3 at 7.
• The leader has plenty of money.

Should you buy oil?

Answer. Count the leader’s finish. With full fuel and 16 cities, they power 16 and beat your 15. If you buy 2 oil, at 6 and 7, for 13 Elektro, only 2 oil remain. The leader needs 3, so their 6-city plant stays dark. They power 10. Now you win at 15, unless someone else reaches it.

Check the other players before you spend. If another rival will power 15 with more money than you, the 13 Elektro may cost you that tie. Run their numbers too.

Our article on kingmaking covers the harder case: when a player who cannot win must decide whom to block.

How to make your own puzzles

The best puzzles come from your own games.

1. Take a photo of the board before the final round. Note each player’s cash if your table plays with open money.
2. Afterward, set it up again and find the best line for each player.
3. Compare with what happened. Did the winner find the best line? Did you?

A few puzzles a week builds the count that wins close games.

Patterns to remember

• Capacity first, then cities. A city you cannot power is wasted money.
• Money is the tiebreaker. Every Elektro you do not need to spend is a tiebreak point.
• Fuel is a weapon only when it is short. Count the market before you buy to block.
• Count everyone. Your opponent is the table, not only the leader.