TBH you need to be free-wheeling with the set up, throw it all down and remove down to down to player count. With an open information start, it lets the player's boomerrang opening-placement-trategy decide from there. Best part is the size of the box is perfect and fits nearly everywhere for a fun, travel-able quick abstract. You don't need a flat surface either, a cloth laid over most will keep the tiles from falling throug cracks, and you really don't need each tile perfectly beside the next.
I quite love this little keeper, even if it collects dust between plays, or trips.