How to play
- Choose the computer or a friend and a board size, then tap Start game.
- On your turn, tap between two dots to draw a line.
- Draw the fourth side of a box to win it, and then you play again.
- When every box is taken, the player with the most boxes wins.
Play Dots and Boxes free online against the computer on easy, medium or hard, or with a friend on one phone. Draw lines, close boxes and win the most.
About Dots and Boxes
Dots and Boxes is a pencil-and-paper game for two players. You start with a grid of dots. Players take turns joining two neighbouring dots with a short line, across or down. Whoever draws the fourth side of a small square claims that box and must draw another line straight away. When no lines are left, the player with more boxes wins.
The game was described by the French mathematician Édouard Lucas in 1889, and it has been a favourite in school notebooks ever since because it needs nothing but a pen and a page of dots. It looks simple, but it has surprisingly deep strategy. Mathematicians have written whole books about it, and strong players think many moves ahead about chains of boxes.
Dots and Boxes on Gamesupa
You can play against the computer or with a friend on the same phone. Choose a board of 3 × 3, 4 × 4 or 5 × 5 boxes. You are blue and go first. The computer, or your friend, is red.
- Easy often hands you boxes and sometimes misses its own. Good for children and for learning the rules.
- Medium takes every box it can and avoids giving boxes away, but now and then it slips.
- Hard almost never gives a box away early, and when it must, it gives away as few as possible.
Tap between two dots to draw a line. On a phone you can press and slide your finger to pick the exact line, and the line is drawn when you let go. On a computer you can click, or use the arrow keys and Enter. The game is saved after every line, so a refresh won't lose your game.
How to win
A box belongs to whoever draws its last side, and that player moves again. So the key rule is simple: don't draw the third side of a box, because that hands the box to your opponent. Early in the game there are plenty of safe lines. Later, every line gives something away, and the game turns into a contest of who has to open the long chains of boxes.
Quick tips
- Count sides before you draw. If a box already has two sides, don't add a third.
- Take boxes when they're offered. A box with three sides is free. Take it, then think about your extra move.
- Give away the shortest chain. When every move is a sacrifice, open the chain with the fewest boxes.
- Watch the long chains. Near the end, the player who is forced to open the first long chain usually loses.
- Start on 3 × 3. A small board is the quickest way to see how chains form.
Learn more in Dots and Boxes strategy: how to win more boxes.
Dots and Boxes questions
How do you play Dots and Boxes?
Players take turns drawing a line between two dots next to each other. If your line closes a box, the box is yours and you draw another line. When all the boxes are closed, whoever has the most wins.
Can I play Dots and Boxes against the computer?
Yes. Pick Easy, Medium or Hard on the start screen. Easy often draws the third side of a box, Medium plays carefully but slips sometimes, and Hard gives away as few boxes as it can.
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. Choose "A friend" and pass the phone. Player 1 is blue and goes first, Player 2 is red.
What is the best strategy in Dots and Boxes?
Avoid drawing the third side of any box, because your opponent can then take it. Late in the game, when every move gives something away, give away the shortest chain of boxes you can.
Which board size should I choose?
3 × 3 is quick and good for learning. 4 × 4 is the classic size and can end in a draw. 5 × 5 is longer and rewards planning ahead.
Is my game saved if I close the page?
Yes. The board is saved on your device after every line, so you can carry on where you stopped. Your wins against the computer show on the home page.