Lethalgames

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Join dots, close boxes

Dots and Boxes online

Play Dots and Boxes online with a friend or against a bot. Join neighbouring dots with a line, close a box to score it and take another turn.

It is the simplest game with the deepest mathematics. Play greedily and you lose: the whole game is decided in the endgame, where you deliberately sacrifice short chains so your opponent has to open the long one.

Players2 players
Game length7 minutes
H
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Bot difficulty
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How to play

  1. A 6×6 grid of dots, with 60 edges and 25 boxes between them.
  2. Players take turns drawing one line between two neighbouring dots.
  3. Closing a box with its fourth side scores it and grants another turn.
  4. A single line can close two boxes at once.
  5. When the last line is drawn, the player with more boxes wins.

Strategy

  • Never draw the third side of a box unless you have to — you are offering it.
  • When safe moves run out, sacrifice the shortest chain available.
  • In the endgame it often pays to leave your opponent two boxes to win back the turn. That is the double-cross.
  • Count chains before safe moves run out. Whoever has to open the long chain has lost.

Frequently asked

Why do I move again after closing a box?

It is the heart of the game. It lets a single turn harvest an entire chain of boxes, which is exactly why sacrifices matter in the endgame.

What is a double-cross?

Deliberately declining the last two boxes of a chain so your opponent has to open the next one. It is the fundamental endgame technique.

Can the game end in a draw?

Yes. Not with 25 boxes, but on even-sized grids draws are common.

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