by byronczimmer
Some other pointers:Against Shaper, it is best to vary the ICE types protecting your side of the board. Two walls in a row isn't as powerful as a Wall and a Code Gate.
Certain ICE need to be played later in the game, such as Chum.
Certain ICE need to be player earlier in the game or not at all, such as Cell Portal.
If you end up not playing Cell Portal, keeping it in your hand decreases the runner's chances of hitting something else in the hand.
1 other card: 50%
2 other cards: 33%
3 other cards: 25%
4 other cards: 20%
Hiding an Agenda in a pile of untrashable junk is a last ditch defense, but it can work.
If you DO manage to get a Cell Portal down early, it means you put it in position 1 of any given Server and just leave it there. When/if it becomes useful to make the Runner redo the run, pop it out.
Vary the order you play your ambushes/agenda. If you always play an Agenda first, that's what will get run. If you only play ambushes when the Corp would be reasonable certain to run that Server, that's when they won't Run.
Against Kate, PAD campaigns don't need to be protected. It costs Kate 5 Actions (4 Credits and a Run) to trash a PAD campaign. If they have Magnum Opus out, it costs them 3 Actions (2 MOs and a Run). Either way, that's an economy swing in your favor.
If the Runner starts running against your PADs before being flipped, drop a Snare out there and see them bump into it. Otherwise, keep the Snares in hand for HQ accesses, and keep the cash on hand to activate them.
Ultimately, just play more, the tricks will come, and the OOB experience are very enjoyable, enough to return to when the constructed scene gets a little too 'secret fudgy batcave'.