Try to avoid increasing a square when your opponent owns a neighboring square that can reach its maximum before your square does.

Try to get control of the corner squares first, then the side squares. You need fewer moves to make them reach a maximum.

Try not to play too close to your opponent, especially during the opening moves. Drop back a square or two or pick a square on the diagonal from your opponent.

Keep an eye out for long chains of squares that are almost at their maximum. If they are yours, you must guard them against cascading moves. If they are your opponent's, they can become ripe for capture by a cascading move, just as soon as they extend close enough to your territory.