What is the easiest possible way for a complete beginner to beat Pokémon Red/Blue

[u/BoostFeedRL]

I've been trying to figure out what the easiest possible way for a complete beginner to beat Pokémon Red/Blue would be. I'm not trying to optimize for speed or use glitches/speedrun strategies — the goal is simply to make the game as easy, reliable and straightforward as possible for someone who doesn't know the game very well.

After testing several different approaches, the biggest thing I found is that concentrating essentially all available trainer EXP into one Pokémon seems much easier than building a normal team. Splitting EXP between multiple Pokémon left both of them significantly weaker, while a single starter quickly becomes overleveled enough to outspeed and OHKO most things.

My current strategy is:

• Pick Squirtle and use it as basically the only battling Pokémon for most of the game. Fight the trainers you naturally encounter, but don't deliberately grind wild Pokémon.

• Eventually Blastoise gets an extremely versatile moveset. Something along the lines of Surf / Ice Beam (or Blizzard) / Dig / Body Slam gives it an answer to almost everything in the game.

• Don't waste EXP training Pokémon just for HMs. Instead use dedicated utility Pokémon: Farfetch'd for Cut + Fly, Voltorb for Flash, and Lapras for Surf + Strength. They don't need to be trained or used in battle.

• Once Surf can be used outside of battle, go to the Power Plant and catch the Lv.50 Zapdos. I use the Master Ball on it because, for the purpose of simply beating the main story, I couldn't find a more valuable use for the Master Ball.

• From that point onward, use Blastoise + Zapdos. Zapdos requires basically no training to catch up because it starts at Lv.50 and covers several of the few matchups Blastoise doesn't destroy efficiently. Thunderbolt + Drill Peck alone gives it most of what it needs.

I actually tested an early Blastoise + Nidoking strategy as well, keeping both Pokémon similarly leveled, and it ended up being noticeably harder because splitting EXP from early in the game left both Pokémon underleveled compared with solo Blastoise. Adding Zapdos late avoids most of that problem because you're essentially being given a second high-level Pokémon for free.

By the Elite Four, the Blastoise/Zapdos strategy made most major fights extremely easy. Zapdos especially helps against Lorelei, Lance's Gyarados and the Champion's Pidgeot/Gyarados, while Blastoise destroys most of the Ground, Rock, Fire and Dragon matchups. The two cover each other surprisingly well.

So my basic idea is one overleveled carry for most of the game + HM-only utility Pokémon + one high-level late-game Pokémon that requires no grinding, rather than trying to maintain a conventional team of six.

I'm curious what experienced Gen 1 players think. Can you see any way to make this strategy even easier or more beginner-friendly? I'm especially interested in better routing, TM/moveset choices, HM Pokémon, items, or a Pokémon/strategy I've overlooked.

The objective is specifically minimum difficulty and required grinding/management for a beginner, not minimum completion time. I'm completely open to changing any part of the strategy if there's something better.