Lethalgames

Account

Everything is playable without an account. An account keeps your rating, progress and unlocks across devices and after you clear your browser.

Playing as a guest

Settings

Nine boards inside one

Ultimate Tic Tac Toe online

Play Ultimate Tic Tac Toe online with a friend or a bot. Nine small boards arranged into one big one — and your move decides which board your opponent has to play in.

It is the smartest thing anyone ever did to noughts and crosses. The plain game takes ten seconds and always draws; here every move also has to answer where it sends your opponent. Play only for the small board and you lose.

Players2 players
Game length10 minutes
H
Your name
Bot difficulty
Join with a code
#

How to play

  1. Nine small 3×3 boards form one big 3×3 board.
  2. Winning a small board claims the matching square on the big one.
  3. The square you play in decides which board your opponent must use.
  4. If that board is already finished, your opponent may play anywhere.
  5. The first player to line up three won boards wins the game.

Strategy

  • Do not play only for the small board. A move that wins it but hands your opponent a free choice is often worse than a modest one.
  • The centre of the big board is as valuable as ever — four winning lines run through it.
  • Square five of any small board sends your opponent to the centre. Use it carefully.
  • Sending your opponent to a finished board gives them the whole grid. It is the most expensive mistake in this game.

Frequently asked

How is it different from normal Tic Tac Toe?

The plain game is one 3×3 board and always draws with correct play. Here there are nine boards, your move steers your opponent, and a game takes ten minutes rather than ten seconds.

What happens if I am sent to a finished board?

You may play anywhere on the grid. It is a big advantage, which is why good players work hard not to hand it over.

Who wins if the whole big board fills up?

Whoever won more small boards. An exact tie is a draw, but it rarely happens.

All games

Back to all games