Competitive programming contests are intense, fast-paced, and highly rewarding. A well-thought-out strategy can significantly improve your performance, help you solve more problems, and boost your rating. In this blog, I’ll share effective contest strategies that will help you perform better in Codeforces contests, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced competitor.

Before the Contest: Preparation is Key

1. Practice Timed Problem-Solving Set a timer for 2 hours and solve problems like a real contest. Stick to the contest format (Div.2, Div.3, etc.). Goal: Simulate contest pressure & improve time management.

2. Solve Past Contest Problems Choose a recent Codeforces contest you didn’t participate in. Solve it virtually and analyze the editorial after. Why? This helps you understand patterns in problem setting.

3. Master Your Weak Areas Identify weak topics from past contests. Spend dedicated practice time on them (e.g., DP, Graphs, Math). Use CSES, AtCoder, and Codeforces EDU to strengthen fundamentals. During the Contest: Smart Execution

4. Read ALL Problems First Spend 5-7 minutes skimming all problems. Identify the easiest ones to maximize your score quickly. Don't get stuck on the first problem you see—check all options!

5. Prioritize Easy and Medium Problems Solve A & B within 15-25 minutes. If C seems solvable, go for it! Don't waste too much time on a single problem early on.

6. Manage Time Efficiently Example time allocation strategy (Div.2, 2-hour contest):

First 30 min: Solve problems A & B (fastest possible). Next 30 min: Attempt C & D (if possible). Last 60 min: Try harder problems OR debug solutions.

1. Implement Solutions Fast & Debug Smartly If you’re 70% sure of the logic, start coding! Use assertions and print statements for debugging. Reread problem statements to avoid silly mistakes.