Taking First: Occupy the Opponent's Key Square

A good move that flips few discs and keeps your discs together is also a good move for your opponent. So the next step in reading is to take away the opponent's good moves. An opponent who loses good moves ends up playing worse ones, and the balance of the game tips. Taking first, defense and spoiling are the concrete ways to do it.

First imagine that you have passed the turn to your opponent and find where the opponent would like to play. If that square is good for you too, take it now. In Othello you cannot play on an occupied square, so a square you take first disappears for the opponent.