Chains

• Click and hold the mouse on an item, then slide the cursor over adjacent items of the same type. This will create a match. A match has to have at least three items, but aim for six or more to get chain bonuses. "Age of Emerald" does not have a time limit, so study the board carefully before making a match. Items have to be horizontally or vertically adjacent, but you don't need to follow a single path to connect them. The link can change directions, although you can't double back onto an item. Look for large clusters of similar items and find a path that leads to the largest possible chain.
  
  

New Pieces

• New items enter the board whenever you create a match, and they slide into place based on the direction you moved your mouse. For example, if you created a chain by moving horizontally from left to right, the rest of the items in that row will also slide into place from left to right. Look at the surrounding areas of the board for ways to set up subsequent chains after you make a match.
  
  

Item Types

• Most tiles on the board represent gold, and they'll fill your bank when you clear them. As you progress, food, magic and bonus items will also appear. Don't focus exclusively on creating the longest possible chains of items; pick matches of items that will help you meet your building or bonus goals as well.
  
  

Plaques

• Plaque squares on the board have blue backgrounds. Each item on a plaque square is worth double points, and clearing items on these squares will help you finish the level quickly. Concentrate on these blue areas when forming chains.
  
  

Buildings

• The items you clear from the board go into your inventory and are used to buy new buildings between levels. Each building adds items to the play area. Place the mouse cursor over each structure in the building screen to see its requirements. Work on accumulating the necessary items to purchase the next upgrade. The buildings are arranged from least to most expensive. You can save up and buy higher-priced buildings first, but you'll progress faster if you buy the buildings as you can afford them.