I need to block my opponent's immediate win threat in column 0. They already have 'O' at positions (0,0) and (2,0), so if they place their next 'O' at (1,0), they'll win with a vertical line. By placing my 'X' at (1,0), I prevent this immediate loss.

Additionally, this move gives me a potential winning diagonal (from position 0,1 to 2,1) that I can develop in future moves. After blocking this immediate threat, I can focus on creating winning opportunities through either row 1 or developing another strategy.