http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=6161410Turn 1 gifting. Very useful for eliminating opponents from an area. A very simple example of how to win fights 2 on 1 style, double income, and also more areas to focus on. (Brown can focus entirely on countering in north, which would be useful if EZpickens is there, so Brown can counter + blockade, giving me a safe bonus too). As it happens, I happened to counter marc instead, and killed him off so quickly EZ surrendered before I even saw his armies.
http://warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=6205723This game is much more interesting. I spent much more time thinking about picks here. The most interesting is the 1,2 mirror pick in Asia. There isn’t a single safe bonus in Asia, but my 1,2 pick means that a) I have at least a presence in the area, b) If he picked Indo/Aus combo or tried to counter with W China I can wipe him off easily or c) If I don't see anyone in Asia on turn 1, then I know I have the entire area all to myself, so good safe income. My picks seem to work nicely. At first glance it seems I have no starts in the South, but nevertheless my picks achieved its goals, I wiped Indo off easily, which means karrakis’ wasted his income for turn 1, and also I can eliminate karrakis without gift cards, then I can 2v1 zbyska, possibly slow him down with yellow and allow brown to grow, or beat him with card advantage. Very rarely does one player beat two.