Dots and Boxes Game Online Free
Take turns drawing a line between two dots. Draw the fourth side of a box to claim it and go again. Whoever has the most boxes at the end wins.
Tap between two dots to draw a line.
How Dots and Boxes works
Dots and Boxes is a classic pencil-and-paper game for two players. Players take turns drawing one line between two neighbouring dots. Whoever completes the fourth side of a box claims it and must draw another line. When every line is drawn, the player with more boxes wins.
It was first described by the French mathematician Édouard Lucas in 1889, and it hides more strategy than it seems. Late in the game the board breaks into chains of boxes, and the player who controls who has to open them usually wins.
How to play Dots and Boxes Game
- The board starts as a grid of dots. Blue moves first.
- On your turn, draw one line between two dots that are next to each other, across or down.
- If your line completes a box (its fourth side), the box is yours and you draw another line. Keep going as long as you complete boxes.
- If your line doesn’t complete a box, your turn ends.
- When all the lines are drawn, the player with more boxes wins. The 4 × 4 board has 16 boxes, so it can end in a draw. Play against the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard, or choose 2 Players to take turns on one device. Undo takes back your last move, and an unfinished game is saved if you leave the page.
Dots and Boxes Game skills
- Planning ahead
- Spotting chains and patterns
- Counting and odd and even numbers
Level: Ages 6 and up
Tips for Dots and Boxes
Avoid drawing the third side of a box. Your opponent will just take it, and often the boxes next to it too.
Late in the game every line gives something away. When that happens, open the shortest chain you can so your opponent gets as few boxes as possible.
The double-cross: when you take a long chain, you can leave its last two boxes for your opponent by drawing the far line instead. They take two boxes, but then they have to open the next chain for you.
Dots and Boxes Game questions and answers
What are the rules of Dots and Boxes?
Players take turns drawing a line between two neighbouring dots. Completing the fourth side of a box claims it and earns another turn. The game ends when every line is drawn, and the player with the most boxes wins.
How do you win at Dots and Boxes?
Early on, avoid drawing the third side of any box. Later, when every move gives boxes away, give away the smallest chain you can, and use the double-cross (leaving the last two boxes of a chain) to make your opponent open the long chains for you.
What is a chain in Dots and Boxes?
A chain is a row of boxes that each have two sides drawn, linked so that taking one box opens the next. Whoever draws a line into a chain lets the other player take every box in it.
Can Dots and Boxes end in a draw?
Only on boards with an even number of boxes. The 4 × 4 board has 16 boxes, so 8–8 is possible. The 3 × 3 (9 boxes) and 5 × 5 (25 boxes) boards always have a winner.
Is Dots and Boxes good for kids?
Yes. The rules take a minute to learn, so children from about 6 can play, and the chain strategy gives older players and adults plenty to think about. Start on the 3 × 3 board against Easy.