What are blank and double gameweeks on Fantasy Premier League?

Double-game weeks are one of the most confusing things in the Fantasy Premier League calendar. So are blank game weeks, the opposite of double game weeks. So what are double game weeks and blank game weeks? When the schedule of the Premier League is released, it is done in a general way. For many reasons, fixtures could be postponed from the dates they were originally meant to take place on.

Traditionally, this comprises clashes with cup ties. Premier League clubs make up a large part of the later rounds of the FA Cup, and Carabao Cup as well as the three continental competitions, the Champions League, Europa League, and the Conference League. This invariably leads to fixtures of these competitions clashing with the pre-determined Premier League fixtures.

To avoid this, a lot of Premier League games end up being postponed or rescheduled. This happens every year in the latter part of the season as the cups reach their business end. Therefore what ends up happening is that some teams at times play twice in one gameweek or don’t play at all. Hence for them, it becomes a double game week or blank gameweek accordingly. There have also been other reasons for postponement of games including COVID-19 and even the death of the Queen in England.

Knowledge about double game weeks and blank game weeks is important because it helps you structure your team in the best possible way in advance. Most people save their chips to play them in these games as well.

What are the changes to the schedule this season?

This season, it is being said that things will be a little different on the postponement front. Changes to the FA Cup schedule means that there will in all likelihood be smaller and fewer double and blank gameweeks. However, that might well be offset by the new longer format of the European Cup competitions. It remains to be seen what happens on this front.

The FA Cup quarterfinals are no longer expected to create a clash in the scheduling. This had in previous years led to the rescheduling of as many as 8 Premier League games.

When are the double and blank game weeks expected to happen this season?

As per experts, this is how the blank and double game week schedule will look:

Blank Gameweek 29
Blank Gameweek 34
Double Gameweek 33/36

Premier League teams who reach the semifinals of the FA Cup will have their fixtures rearranged, meaning a maximum of 4 blanks during that point of time. These matches are likely to slot into the midweek before the semis, creating Double Gameweek 33.

The Carabao Cup final will create a Blank Gameweek 29, with up to two games postponed.
Free midweek slots in Gameweek 33 and 36 should provide opportunities for rescheduled games to be fitted in.

Also Read: Funniest Fantasy Football Names in Fantasy Premier League this year

From this, we can see that domestic fixtures will not cause massive upheavals in the schedule with a maximum of 6 possible game postponements. This means that there won’t be that many blank or double gameweeks, which should be kept in mind, especially if you want to play your chips then.

How to use your chips in double or blank game weeks?

Fantasy Premier League provides 4 chips to be used during a season. These are the 4 chips and when and how to use them.

Freehit – The Freehit chip in Fantasy Premier League is a special chip that allows you to make unlimited transfers in a single game week. This can be extremely beneficial if you have players who are injured, suspended, or simply not performing well. This is largely used during double or blank game weeks. Ideally in a blank gameweek, Freehit can be used to only select players who play that week. In case of a double game week, the same can be done for teams who play twice.

Wildcard – The Wildcard chip in Fantasy Premier League is a powerful tool that allows you to make unlimited transfers at one go that too permanently. This means you can completely overhaul your team and bring in new players without incurring any negative points. A wildcard can be used to get your team ready for upcoming double and blank gameweeks.

Triple Captain – The Triple Captain chip in Fantasy Premier League is a special power-up that allows you to triple the points scored by your captain for a single gameweek. It’s a high-risk, high-reward chip that can dramatically boost your overall score if your captain performs well. Most people save this for double-game weeks. For example, if Manchester City have two favourable fixtures in a double gameweek, it would make a lot of sense to triple captain Erling Haaland.

Bench Boost – Playing the Bench Boost Chip in Fantasy Premier League means the points scored from your benched players are included in your total points score for that game week. This is a very useful tool if used smartly and can be of great benefit, particularly in double or blank game weeks.

Also Read: What is a Wildcard in Fantasy Premier League?

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