Game strategy is based on evaluating game situation. There are "winning" situations. If you find game in winning situation, regardless of your stroke you do not let it in winning situation. On the other hand if you do not find it in winning situation, you can find a stroke to put it in winning situation, and your opponent will only be able to let it in not winning situation, and if you do not do errors after you are sure to win.
The choice of player who begins is very important. With the default options, beginning situation is winning, and the player who begins may only win if his opponent do a mistake (and if you play against automate and choose to begin you cannot win because automate will not do mistakes!).
On the other hand you can by the preferences change the initial state in order that it will be a not winning situation. Then the beginner have an advantage since he can put game in winning situation.