When the opponent takes the center position, one of the strongest counters is to take a corner. This gives me the most strategic options going forward. By taking the top-left corner (0,0), I can set up multiple potential winning lines - either across the top row, down the left column, or along the diagonal. While any corner would be equally good at this stage, taking a corner rather than an edge is important because it gives me more potential winning paths. If the opponent blocks one of my potential lines in their next move, I can pivot to focus on the others. This is a standard opening response when facing a center-first strategy.