Dots and Boxes
In Dots and Boxes you draw lines between dots, close a square and claim it — then move again. Free, no install, no sign-up, works offline.
In Dots and Boxes you take turns drawing one line between two neighbouring dots. Close off the fourth side of a square and it becomes yours, and you get another turn straight away. Most squares at the end wins.
about 18.5 KB
Works offline after the first visit. No install, no sign-up.
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How to play Dots and Boxes
How a turn works
Tap the gap between two neighbouring dots to draw that line. If your line completes the fourth side of a square, you claim it and must move again — one line per turn, except after claiming.
Claiming a square buys you another move
That is the whole engine of the game: closing a square keeps the turn, so a round can swing on a single decision. Handing over a square usually means handing over several, because the other player then takes them in a run.
The endgame is a trap, not a formality
When the board is mostly lined up, every remaining move gives away a square to whoever moves first. Avoiding being the one to open that chain is where the game is actually won.
The computer plays these chains deliberately
It counts how long a chain of free squares is and takes them in the right order, so it will not hand you a run if it can avoid it. Against it, the only way to win is to make it be the one who opens the last chain.
The board is small on purpose
A 5 by 5 grid of dots, which is 16 squares. Bigger boards make the endgame take long enough that counting chains stops being fun and starts being arithmetic.
Dots and Boxes Tips and Strategy
Take the whole box at once
A box with three sides already drawn is finished the moment you add the fourth, and you get another turn straight away. Handing over the third side of an unfinished box gives the box and the turn to your opponent, so never draw that side for yourself.
Odd squares decide it
With sixteen boxes on the board, taking a single box on its own usually costs more than it gains. The score comes from long chains where one square gives up three or four at a time, so let the chains run instead of stopping them.
The centre feeds the long chains
The boxes away from the corners are the ones that tend to join into long runs. Opening squares near the outside first tends to produce a scattered board of lonely two-sided boxes that neither side can finish.
Dots and Boxes — Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the computer get several moves in a row?
Because it keeps claiming squares. Every square claimed earns another turn, and near the end of a round a chain of squares can all fall to one player.
Can I see how many squares each side has?
Yes, claimed squares are filled in your colour or the computer's, and the counts sit with the scores.
Is a draw possible?
On a small board it is possible but rare. If both sides end with the same count the round is reported as a draw.
Does it need installing or an account?
No. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer and works offline after the first visit.
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