Dots and Boxes
StrategyFree to playDraw the fourth side of a square to capture it. Most boxes at the end wins.
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How to Play
Dots and Boxes lays a grid of dots. On your turn, draw a line between two adjacent dots; if you complete the fourth side of a small square, you capture it and earn another turn. The player with the most boxes when every square is claimed wins. Choose a 3x3, 4x4, or 5x5 board and a CPU strength before starting. Easy blunders now and then, Normal grabs safe boxes and sacrifices the shortest chain, and Hard plays the double-cross: it hands you the last two boxes of a chain on purpose so it can keep control of the next one. Late in the game, chain-counting decides everything.
Controls
- Tap a dot, then tap an adjacent dot
- Complete a box to capture it
Tips & Tricks
- 1Completing a box earns another turn
- 2Avoid opening long chains for your opponent
- 3Most boxes at the end wins
- 4Count the chains early — on a 5x5 board the last chain usually decides the game, so concede the short ones
- 5Hard plays the double-cross: it hands you the last two boxes of a chain on purpose to keep control of the next
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I win?
Capture more boxes than your opponent by drawing the fourth side of squares.
How do I capture a box?
Draw the fourth side of a small square to claim it, which also earns you another turn.
How do I win?
The player with the most boxes when every square is claimed wins, so the last chains matter most.
What are the CPU strengths?
Easy blunders now and then, Normal grabs safe boxes and sacrifices the shortest chain, and Hard plays the double-cross.
What board sizes are available?
Choose a 3x3, 4x4 or 5x5 board before starting. Larger boards have longer chains and more double-cross chances.
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