I've been playing this game on and off for over a week now and I seriously can't get above 400ml for these reasons. For some reason, it feels like 1/3 of the rounds I play, even the "easy" ones, the first or second card I flip turns out to be the Vampire card. I would love to finish the game but it feels like at this rate it'll take me at least a month and I think I may get bored before then.
The trick, I find, is to always gun straight for the square. Use the square and arrows to carve out safe space and don't be afraid to pass. Pass literally every game if you need to. You can only lose up to 5 stakes by passing, and that's by literally passing before even flipping any cards yourself. You start with 1 flipped and lose 2 effective flipped by passing, so you lose 1 stake.