The corner, where he played is actually more optimal because it is easier to force a fork from that position, though as you said the middle is the most common
That’s not true, you can force a tie at worst from a middle start. The issue is, if you start middle, you can only force a win if they take a side, not a corner. If you start corner you can force a win as long as they don’t take the middle.
You can also force either a tie or a win every time from the corner. You have less control and garentees if you start from the middle, as counter intuitive as this is you gain more control over the board by taking the corner.
While it is true that will always result in a winning line, it’s not true that it is the only way to force a win. Half of their moves will allow you to play adjacent to you starting corner towards an open corner and still force a win, as long as their first play isn’t the opposite corner or any of its 3 adjacent spaces. In fact, if they start in one of the adjacent sides or non-opposite corners, you have 3 winning moves. If they start on a side, you can take either the open, non-opposite corner, the side leading to that corner, or the middle. If they start in a non-opposite corner, you can take the first two moves above, or the opposite corner.
The corner, where he played is actually more optimal because it is easier to force a fork from that position, though as you said the middle is the most common
100%. The only way to never lose when you go first is to always start in the corner.
That’s not true, you can force a tie at worst from a middle start. The issue is, if you start middle, you can only force a win if they take a side, not a corner. If you start corner you can force a win as long as they don’t take the middle.
You can also force either a tie or a win every time from the corner. You have less control and garentees if you start from the middle, as counter intuitive as this is you gain more control over the board by taking the corner.
And your second move has to be another corner whose line hasn’t been blocked.
While it is true that will always result in a winning line, it’s not true that it is the only way to force a win. Half of their moves will allow you to play adjacent to you starting corner towards an open corner and still force a win, as long as their first play isn’t the opposite corner or any of its 3 adjacent spaces. In fact, if they start in one of the adjacent sides or non-opposite corners, you have 3 winning moves. If they start on a side, you can take either the open, non-opposite corner, the side leading to that corner, or the middle. If they start in a non-opposite corner, you can take the first two moves above, or the opposite corner.