The Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips are activated on the “My Team” page, and can be cancelled at any time up to the gameweek’s deadline. Remember, you can only use one chip in any given gameweek.

And do note: as much of a boon as the “boost” chips can be, they can also blight your weekly tally. Should your captain score negatively (say, for a red card or an own goal) his misdeeds will punished in triplicate.

When should I play them?

Ah, the eternal question: when is the best time to utilise your Triple Captain and Bench Boost chips. FPL players have attempted to figure out the answer to that questions for aeons, none has done it definitively, but there are essentially two different approaches to using them effectively.

As with all chips, the prevailing wisdom suggests they are best used during a double gameweek. And you can see why. A captain playing twice has two chances to treble his score. It’s in these gameweeks that the Triple Captain chip can really land you a bumper windfall that puts you out of sight in your office mini-league.

However, another savvy use of the Triple Captain chip can be when your skipper is up against grossly inferior opposition. This one certainly requires more stars to align (your captain should probably be on a good run of form generally, and the inferior opposition really struggling, home advantage helps his chances of not picking up a costly booking too), but timed to perfection there’s the potential for a massive score.

The Bench Boost chip is probably the most underrated of the four different boosts on offer, but if used properly it can provide a massive fillip to your team. As with the Triple Captain chip, patience is key. If you can still have your Bench Boost chip in your back pocket come double-gameweek season down the campaign’s home straight, then your chances of topping your mini-league are heightened.

Unlike other chips, there isn’t really an alternative strategy; simply put, those who manage to save it for a double-gameweek will benefit the most from it.

The key, of course, is filling your bench with players who are likely to see some game time, thereby qualifying for at least the minimum point. Players with the savvy to budget for at least two players who are starters on their bench will find this chip more valuable. If you can balance the books to ensure all 15 players in your squad are starting regulars during the week you play your Bench Boost chip, then you stand to win big. After all, if you’ve opted to splurge the vast majority of your squad’s budget on just a superstar starting 11 and have reached for the “4.5m max” filter to make up your 15, then you’re not likely to see any benefit from using Bench Boost.

One important thing to note: don’t be scared to go against the grain, especially if you’re in a contest with friends. Make good use of the “selected by” metric to avoid the players that all your competitors might have selected. It’s often more valuable to identify early the players that aren’t owned by a huge percentage of other managers and take that diamond in the rough.

It’s a difficult balancing act – don’t waste chips, but also don’t hang on to them too tightly, scared of wasting them.

Good luck.