Triple-picking :

Place a territory as 1st to counter it. If it works, the two territories will become useless and your opponent may surrender. Otherwise you know where your opponent.

Place your 4th pick on a counter if it didn't work. It is rare but the triple-pick may be isolated and you can't deny it in first turn.

If so, you have two choices :

- Take pick that will allow to uncover 2-3 territories and hope your large stack will break the territory.

- Place your pick on a supporting territory and stack. The further your pick is, the better. Your opponent may try to use his left-overs and production boost to take the next large territory that can be taken in two turns.


Scenario : Double Triple-Picks.

Choice 1 :

Place 2 picks on one *triple-pick* and place your 2 other picks on the second *triple-pick*.

You are likely to break both double triple-picks while expanding safely on your last pick on a small territory. You can decide to use an abandon but it is risky.

The problem is that you may end up with two odds territories on each side with your opponent waiting outside.

Choice 2 :

Try all your 1s,2s,3s on one the best triple-pick and use your leftovers on the second triple-pick. You can use your 2s or 3s on the second triple-pick if you feel lucky. If the odds are favorable, you will end up with a triple-pick and you may break your opponent's triple-pick at the same time.

Even if you didn't break your opponents, you have equal production roughly. Beware of counters !

Choice 3 :

Use counters and try to isolate your opponent. If you break both your opponent's triple-pick using a strange *4th* territory that is connected to triple-pick, you are lucky and may stall his production long enough to take a bonus on turn 4-5. The strategy is risky.

You can try to isolate your opponent by killing supports around triple-pick and out-playing him. When a large stack is chasing your near a triple-pick, your opponent may try to take some bonuses on the way. It will soften his stack. The strategy is to take the his second bonus by surprise while he does and try to conquer a territory in the triple-pick if you can.

The best is to use two counters in this situation. You can by example hold any bonus he tries to hold or build a second stack in secret to break his only bonus.

It usually a lost game if your opponent has his two triple-picks and keeps them long enough.

Choice 4 :

Make double picks and expand to make the most use of leftovers. You can arrive with equal production if the timing is right or slightly more.

Your bonuses may be spread out while your opponent's are all in the same place in a corner. You need to play well and use a good counter or make strategical strikes. Cards are useful and you can make strategical attacks. It is usually best to use just enough armies you need while stacking some 3,4,5 on your most vulnerable territory or likely to be attacked.


Supportive territories :

TO BE DONE.

"Depends to much on settings, otherwise do 1 and 2 close to each other and 3 - 5 further away from 1 and 2 as well as picks 3 - 5 being near to each other.

This post will be blanked after a whole week, from now, as an attempt to hide my strategy."

But, I really wanted to copy the strategies of a 1400 rated 1v1 player. I was going to use them as part of my study on mice since I figure such players and mice have a lot in common regarding the way they process data.