I've won plenty of games from a terrible start position. Sure it's harder but it's rarely a lost cause.

I usually leave my most dominant stack alone and try to buff it up by spreading my most threatened weak stacks around as much as possible. Just sit back and wait for the right time.

You'll never start without a 4 or 5 stack, so make it a 6-8 stack and then go for the nearest corner/peninsula.

You can start without a 4 stack, even. What I try is to see my options, and make the least hazardous move, like one attack that keeps you out of the way. What I hate happening is when you make the only connection you can, but the dice go to a one spot.

(Ahem) In that case, you can usually get a better set up after this dice-farming occurs, and make a better beginning. ( ex. I literally started a game while typing this, and had that happen. I got a five on one, and I made two attacks with it, no one has any reason to go for me, and I'm sitting fine)

Of course, luck takes some play in this too.

if it looks like i cant win or wont win, i just try to keep others from winning by being a thorn in their side and not letting them rebuild

This has been posted before but..... Suciding is dumb.

Dominance is calculated after turn 3, so losing in turn 2 gets you the worst dom you can achieve. Also being a thorn in the side of someone elses side will get you killed quickly as well. Try and hang on, if you are down to one territory early on chances are it'll be able to survive for awhile because no one will want it right away (unless you are next to an 8 stack, then youre dead)

Hang on as long as you can 6th place with the worst dominance you can get is a lot better than 7th place with the worst dom. If you hang on with one territory your dom. wont change anyways. Stay out of the way and hang on for 6th and maybe 4th or 5th if the person next to you gets to be very large

This has been posted before but..... Suciding is dumb.

Dominance is calculated after turn 3, so losing in turn 2 gets you the worst dom you can achieve. Also being a thorn in the side of someone elses side will get you killed quickly as well. Try and hang on, if you are down to one territory early on chances are it'll be able to survive for awhile because no one will want it right away (unless you are next to an 8 stack, then youre dead)

Hang on as long as you can 6th place with the worst dominance you can get is a lot better than 7th place with the worst dom. If you hang on with one territory your dom. wont change anyways. Stay out of the way and hang on for 6th and maybe 4th or 5th if the person next to you gets to be very large

I will normally pick out someone I dont like and piss all over them