Is there a strategy to always win at Tic Tac Toe?

Tic Tac Toe is a solved game — with perfect play from both players, every game ends in a draw. But against human opponents who make mistakes, strategic play gives you a significant advantage. Going first (X): Take the center. This gives you the most winning combinations (4 lines through center vs 3 for corners vs 2 for edges). If opponent takes a corner, take the opposite corner. Look for fork opportunities (creating two threats simultaneously). Going second (O): If X takes center, take a corner. If X takes a corner, take center. If X takes an edge, take center or adjacent corner. The fork strategy: A fork is when you create two winning threats simultaneously, forcing your opponent to block one while you win on the other. This is the main way to win against imperfect players. To create a fork: position your marks so two different lines each need one more to win. Defensive strategy: Always block your opponent's two-in-a-row. Look for opponent fork setups and block them before they're completed. In competitive play, the player who understands forks and counter-forks has a decisive advantage.