The winning move is not to play

[leafy]

9.3.4 & 9.3.5

9.3.4 Match Seeding Points
All teams on the winning ALLIANCE will receive a number of seeding points equal to the penalized score (the score with any assessed penalties) of the winning ALLIANCE.
All teams on the losing ALLIANCE will receive a number of seeding points equal to un-penalized score (the score without any assessed penalties) of the winning ALLIANCE.
In the case of a tie, all participating teams will receive a number of ranking points equal to their ALLIANCE score (with any assessed penalties).

9.3.5 Coopertition Bonus

All teams on the winning ALLIANCE will receive a coopertition bonus: a number of seeding points equal to twice the un-penalized score ... of the losing ALLIANCE.

If the losing team's score is 0, then they get the same seeding points as the winner, discounting penalties.

If the winning team gets a penalty, and the losing team scores 0, then the losing team wins for seeding points.

The optimum strategy is thus to convince your alliance partners to score 0, and help the other team score as much as possible on you to maximize *your* seeding points. You must also defend against all attempts at a counter-strategy to score points in *your* goal to get you points, because their seeding points increase by two every time they score for you.

You can block both of your goals by moving 2 of your robots blocking your own goals, and having one of your robots pushing balls into their zone.

Assume that your alliance gets 0 points, and is the losing alliance. Assume that the other winning alliance gets more than 0 points, designated as n.

Penalties on the winning team are designated as p.

The losing alliance's seeding points can be modeled by y=n.
The winning alliance's seeding points can be modeled by y=n-p.

Thus, the losing alliance team either wins or ties for seeding points. They tie in the case that the winning team also scores 0 unpenalized. They win in the much more likely case that the winning alliance has more than 0 penalties, by p points.

The winning team, if they examine their and your strategy, will be compelled to score as many points as possible, since they want to maximize their score relative to other teams not using this strategy. They won't choose to score nothing as well, since both teams would get 0 seeding points.