Dots and Boxes
Complete more boxes than the computer.👆
About Dots and Boxes
Dots and Boxes is the doodle-margin game that turns out to hide a startling amount of tactics, and here you play it against the computer. Players take turns drawing one line between two adjacent dots, and whoever completes the fourth side of a box claims it and — the rule that drives everything — takes another turn immediately, so a good position can cascade into a run of boxes in a single go. The beginner's instinct that quietly loses games is drawing the third side of a box, because it simply hands your opponent a free completion; the whole early game is about avoiding that until you have no safe move left. The move that marks a real player is the "double-cross": instead of greedily grabbing every box in a chain, you deliberately leave the last two, forcing your opponent to open the next chain for you. Count the safe moves remaining, because when they run out, whoever is forced to open a chain usually loses it. On Hard the computer never gives away a free box, so you have to set traps rather than wait for slips. Free in the browser, wins saved between games.
How to play
- Take turns drawing a single line between two adjacent dots.
- Complete the fourth side of a box to claim it in your colour — and take another turn.
- You are the first player; the computer plays against you.
- When every line is drawn, whoever owns the most boxes wins.
Strategy & tips
- Early on, avoid drawing the third side of any box — it hands your opponent a free box.
- Chaining matters: completing one box lets you go again, so line up runs of boxes.
- Learn the "double-cross" — leaving the last two boxes of a chain forces your opponent to open the next one.
- Count safe moves left; when they run out, whoever must "open" a chain usually loses it.
- On Hard, the computer never gives away a free box, so set traps rather than hoping for mistakes.
FAQ
How do I win?
Own the most boxes when all the lines are drawn. Completing a box also earns you an extra turn.
Do I play a person or the computer?
You play against the computer. Choose Easy for a casual game or Hard for a sharp opponent.
What is the double-cross strategy?
Leaving the last two boxes of a chain open forces your opponent to open the next chain for you, instead of you having to open one yourself — a key late-game technique.