Board Game Arena

At this stage I prefer nmego's 3.Jed4 to my own and other ideas. The problem with T72on1's Ii23 is it allows the 5-point reply Sfg2.

Regarding a move, we want to consider a few factors:
1)Where attack generates the most value, and is likely devastating for the opponent?
2)Where are we most vulnerable?
Next, assemble the priorities.
1)Can the opponent interfere with our attack?
2)Is our weak spot worth immediate care?

Now this is important for pace. Sometimes you see a good move, but your opponent can't really do a whole lot about it, in this case, it's the Jed9 gurth suggested, so it's lower on priority. (Not to mention, csaphiro's counter is quite annoying)

Our weak spot is the S4 top right (Z9fg) that csaphiro proposed. We might protect it by playing S4 off of the L (S8ji), and it's a fairly good move, but when the opponent kills the right mid with L4(L6ij) it doesn't feel right.

So I guess we can't do a whole lot about our weak spot. Then we should try and generate an opening to create a big threat while attacking at the same time. Regarding csaphiro's suggestion, there is a rule of thumb in LITS that I always abide by with only few exceptions: Never cover your own pieces for the sake of protecting them. It's almost certainly not worth it; I'd only do it if it's the end game, or when I save up to 5 or 6, which is so rare that it almost never happens. So I definitely don't like that move.

I stand by T72on1's move. It looks simple, but it does a couple things. It nets +4 at least, most likely +5. Next we threaten top right because the aforementioned S4 (Z9fg) actually looks bad now: we actually secure the whole right side with a follow-up T4(T8ji)! If the opponent plays S4 (S3hg) off of the I, well, it's not even that good because the bottom row of Xs looks good for us, and we get to play the S4 (S8ji) top right off 2.L4 as I previously mentioned, now a much better move thanks to the I4.

Edit: nmego's move is a defensive one on bottom left, which is good over there, but I think our current threats and advantages lie elsewhere. I'd say it's a bit too passive.
Edit 2: Added chess notations.

@andycupid - Yes, I like your reasoning on T72on1's move. May I say, I find your lack of precise notation difficult to follow,I often don't know exactly what move you are talking about.

T72on1’s suggestion is much better than mine. I withdraw my move and throw support behind theirs.

I don't even understand chess notation when I'm playing chess, I'll work it out as doing it makes the most logical sense when I have ideas.

I think T72on1 has found the best move for us as well. All the other options have a lot of counters available.

My own thoughts previously had been leaning on a Ja67, but I wasn't really that happy with it.

I re-edited my post with chess notations. I do still prefer pictures...because information easier to access when presented in visual form, but for now I'll do this lol .
And it seems we have an agreement

Thanks andy, now I can appreciate the full beauty of your reasoning more easily. Knowing what S's you meant - there was no picture of them, and if each possibility is going to need a picture, there are going to be an awful lot of pictures!

Ok, I'll make our next move then.

I must say I like this thread a lot. Thanks andycupid for starting this. It's so enriching to see everyone's view on things. And makes me appreciate Battle of Lits even more. Such a simple rules. But so much depth.

sorry I haven't had any input, I struggle a bit when it comes to the notation, of any kind. I'll print up the map and label it so that I cant work it out. As far as I can say, you guys have a really good plan laid out for this turn.

whatshisbucket has responded with a green T. (I also have trouble with the notation. I think it’s Tf8g9, or Tg89 or maybe Tg98... it covers f8,g8,h8,g9)
I propose we counter with a red L covering i0,i9,i8,j8. I think that’s Lij8? Or Lji8?
Pictured here in case all the notation is wrong. It only takes one O but it looks like it protects five X.