by Faso74it
You're absolutely right whith your post showing that there is no clear division between strategies, and that a good player should get the most out of the combinations of buildings and monuments (and the initial resource tiles as well!).I think that for being succesful in this game you should choose a strategy after seeing the monuments available, and the resource tiles you've been given.
The thing is:
you know that the skull strategy is very strong, especially if playing a 2-player game. But if in a 3-player game two players go for it, the third player will have an advantage using a different strategy. This because the first two players will get through each other, stealing available places on Chichen Itza.
Consequentially, in a 4-player game, to be successful each player should follow a different strategy (adapting themselves to the circumstances).
I can't find a "simple" fourth strategy for the fourth player.
Probably a viable strategy is the "corn strategy", as explained formerly by dyepbr.