Dots and Boxes: Play Online vs Computer or a Friend
Play dots and boxes, the classic pencil-and-paper game, free in your browser. Take turns drawing a line between two dots. Close the fourth side of a box to claim it and draw again. When every box is taken, the player with the most boxes wins. Play the computer at three levels or a friend on the same screen.
Quick answer: Click or tap any gap between two neighboring dots to draw a line. If your line finishes a box, the box turns your color, you score a point and you go again. If not, it is the other player’s turn. The game ends when all boxes are filled.
How to play dots and boxes
- Start with an empty grid of dots. You are blue and move first.
- On your turn, draw one horizontal or vertical line between two dots that are next to each other.
- Complete the fourth side of a box to claim it. You must then draw another line.
- When every box is claimed, the player with the most boxes wins.
Dots and boxes strategy
- Don’t draw the third side. A box with three sides is a free point for your opponent.
- Think in chains. Late in the game, boxes link into long chains. Giving away a short chain is better than a long one.
- Sacrifice to win. Strong players sometimes leave the last two boxes of a chain so the opponent has to open the next, bigger chain. This is called a double-cross.
- Count the long chains. In the endgame, the number of long chains decides who gets control.
Computer levels
| Level | How it plays |
|---|---|
| Easy | Often misses free boxes and plays random lines |
| Medium | Takes every free box and avoids drawing third sides |
| Hard | Also gives away the smallest chain when it has to |
The game was first described by the French mathematician Édouard Lucas in 1889 and is still a favorite for road trips and classrooms. More classic games: checkers, tic tac toe and hangman.
FAQ
Why did I get another turn?
Whenever your line completes a box, you keep the turn and must draw another line. You can chain many boxes in one turn.
Which board size should I pick?
3 × 3 is quick and great for kids. 4 × 4 is the classic size, and 5 × 5 or 6 × 6 makes longer, more strategic games.
More free games and tools
See all of them on the QuickOnlineTips free online tools page and the free online games page.