Use when user has a new feature idea, rough concept, or unexplored approach. Include when planning before code, breaking a design into tasks, creating an implementation plan, laying out tasks and dependencies, exploring architectural options, or requirements are vague. User phrases like "I want to build X", "should we do this", "let's think through Y", "explore approaches", "break this into tasks", "make an implementation plan". Do NOT use for executing existing plans, fixing bugs, refactoring, or when requirements and an epic already exist.
Use when a test is failing, when a bug is reported, when behavior is unexpected or intermittent, when a build or integration step fails, or when a flaky test keeps resurfacing. Especially when "the fix seems obvious", when multiple previous fixes haven't stuck, or when under time pressure to ship.
Use when an epic Task exists and subtasks are ready to implement, when resuming work after a previous checkpoint, when iteratively building a feature, or when implementation has revealed unexpected work that needs a new task. User phrases like "continue the plan", "next task", "resume where we left off", "pick up the epic".
Use after all tasks in an epic complete, after refactoring verifies, or before merging to main. Triggers when independent validation is needed that code meets requirements, has no security gaps, passes quality standards, and has no performance regressions. User phrases like "review this", "is this ready to merge", "validate the implementation".
Use when a task plan has just been created and needs review before execution, when brainstorming just handed off, when unsure whether a junior could execute without questions, or when you see placeholder text, vague success criteria, or missing edge cases. User phrases like "review these tasks", "are these ready?", "before we start", "catch any gaps". Do NOT use when implementation is already in progress or for creating plans from scratch.
Use when bugs keep slipping through despite high test coverage, when suspecting tests are giving false confidence, before a major refactor that will depend on the existing test suite, or when coverage metrics don't match incident rates. User phrases like "do these tests actually catch bugs?", "is this suite any good?", "why didn't the tests catch this?".
Use at the start of every session before any response or action. Also invoke whenever uncertain which gambit skill applies, when about to implement / debug / refactor / test / plan / brainstorm, or when a user request could match any gambit skill even at 1% probability.
Use when starting an isolated feature branch, when working on multiple features simultaneously, when experimenting without affecting the main workspace, or when a clean workspace is needed before beginning implementation. User phrases like "start a new branch", "set up a worktree", "isolated workspace", "work on feature X separately".