Dots and Boxes
Board · 10 playsDots and Boxes
Draw lines, complete boxes, and dodge giving your rival the fourth wall.
About Dots and Boxes
The pen-and-paper classic of quiet strategy. Take turns drawing one line between dots; complete the fourth side of a box and it is yours -- plus you go again. The trick is the endgame: whoever is forced to draw the third side of a box hands it over, so controlling who gets stuck is everything. Most boxes wins. Free to play in your browser — no download, no sign-up.
How to Play
On your turn draw one line between two adjacent dots. Complete the fourth side of a box to claim it and take another turn. Most boxes when the grid is full wins. Try 4x4 up to 6x6.
Tips & Strategy
Early on, avoid drawing the third side of any box -- that just lets your opponent close it.
The real game is the chain endgame. Count the long chains of boxes: whether there's an odd or even number decides who ends up in control.
Master the double-cross: instead of taking every box in a chain, leave the last two for your opponent -- it forces them to open the next chain for you.
Small sacrifices early buy you control of the big chains later.