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Some players have asked if there was an optimal way to progress through the tournament brackets. Here's three ways you can start from 0 (the Bronze league) and wind up in Pearl with the veterans.

First Place All The Way

• Enter Pearl on your 19th Tournament.
• Earn 11425 Pearls
• Earn 251 Gems
• Earn 445 Genes

Last Place (151-200) All The Way

• Enter Pearl on your 73rd Tournament.
• Earn 1815 Pearls
• Earn 222 Gems
• Earn 494 Genes

"Optimal" Gems/Genes

Bronze:

• 2nd Twice
• 101-150 Twice
• 151-200 Once

Silver:

• 1st Four Times
• 151-200 Once

Gold:

• 1st Twice
• 4-10 Once
• 151-200 Three Times

Crystal:

• 1st Eight Times

Overall:

• Enter Pearl on your 25th Tournament.
• Earn 10830 Pearls
• Earn 259 Gems
• Earn 462 Genes

Methodology: Stay in a bracket as long as possible because any crowns earned beyond the promotion point removes some ability to earn in the next bracket and would push you to Pearl faster. That is until you reach Crystal. There is no reason to delay anything at that point, hence all 1st place is best there if you want the most from that bracket. Lastly, gems and genes were given equal "weight" when deciding the best path -- pearls were given no value at all. If you value gems over genes or give a value to pearls, then this path might not be optimal for you.

Preference?

Really there isn't much difference between charging full steam ahead with 1st place all the way and taking your time to min/max the tournament rewards. Compared to the "optimal" min/max path, 8 more genes and 18 more gems would certainly put you in a slightly better position to compete and get up to the Pearl bracket tie points, but taking 6 more tournaments to get there? Even last place in Pearl isn't that bad and if you could reach at least 3rd place in Pearl you'd be doing better over those 6 tournaments.

What's humorous is that if you just enter the tournament then shut your game off, after 72 tournaments you'd be in Pearl. Granted that would take 36 weeks of your life, but there you go.