In playing a typical game, each athlete is represented by a player card, on which are printed various ratings and result tables for dice rolls.
Although Strat-O-Matic Football is a simplification of the complicated game it simulates, there is a great deal of strategy involved.
Field goals, punts, and kickoffs are also handled individually within the game and while there is, similar to the NFL, strategy involved in when to use these plays (for example, on fourth down whether to attempt a field goal, to punt, or to go for a first down) there is little strategy associated with these kicking plays.
When two humans are playing a game of Strat-O-Matic Football there is a significant amount of “cat-and-mouse” type strategy.
However, coach B may be careful not to empty his long pass zone in this situation in order not to give up the big play.
Coaches who have good intuition in predicting the plays their opponents will call may gain a competitive advantage.
This board game is similar to the pro version in play calling, outcomes, timing and use of the 20 card "split" deck.
Flat Pass Left, Lookin, and Flat Pass Right are the same type of passing play and use the same columns for resolution; choice of left, right, or middle (lookin) makes a difference in play resolution in two ways: a) determining which defender is involved in attempting to defend the play and b) whether or not the defense has strengthened (or weakened) its flat/lookin defense in that specific target zone.
For example, a defensive coach may call pass (which does not guard well against a run) and move one or more of his linebackers to the line of scrimmage to blitz (to attempt to sack the Quarterback for a loss of yards) and also to strengthen support against the run; the advantage of blitzing linebackers while calling pass is to increase the chance for a sack and to strengthen support against the run but the disadvantage of this call is that the linebacker would vacate his flat or lookin zone leaving that type of pass with significantly less support.
As another example, the free safety who is generally responsible for helping support against the long pass may instead strengthen another zone such as a flat or lookin zone, the offense does not have the capability of changing the play he has already selected but the offense may call more long passes in the future to try to take advantage of the open long pass zone if the defense moves his free safety again.
In a Strat-O-Matic Football draft league participants compile a team of NFL players whose cards and ratings measuring their in-game performance are determined from a prior NFL season – usually the most recently completed season although there are many draft leagues which use much older seasons instead based upon the preferences of members within the league – and participants play games using Strat-O-Matic Football.
In this way participants are not only building their team of NFL players but they are also greatly affecting the outcome with the strategies they use during the game.
In a keeper league participants who are able to evaluate and draft good players over the long term will excel.