Classic pen-and-paper dot game

Play Dots and Boxes

Take turns drawing lines between dots — complete the fourth side of a box to claim it and earn another turn.

Player 1 0 Player 2 0

Player 1's turn — click a line to draw it.

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Adjustable grid

Play a quick 3x3 game or go big with a 6x6 grid for a longer battle over more boxes.

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Extra turns

Complete a box and you go again immediately — a single good move can chain into several boxes in a row.

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Automatic scoring

Boxes fill in with each player's color the instant they're completed, so the score never needs counting by hand.

How to play Dots and Boxes

Two players take turns drawing single lines between adjacent dots on a grid, trying to claim as many completed boxes as possible.

  1. Draw a lineClick any open horizontal or vertical line segment between two dots to draw it in your color.
  2. Claim completed boxesIf your line finishes the fourth side of a box, that box turns your color and you get to go again.
  3. Compare scores at the endOnce every line is drawn, whoever claimed the most boxes wins the game.

About Dots and Boxes

Dots and Boxes has been a pen-and-paper classic for generations because the rules are trivial but the endgame is surprisingly deep. Since completing a box grants another turn, strong players deliberately avoid drawing a box's third side too early — giving that free box away is often better than opening up a long chain for the opponent.

Avoid the third side

Drawing the third side of a box hands your opponent a free box next turn, so it's usually avoided until forced.

Chains decide the game

Long chains of connected boxes often get swept entirely by one player in a single turn once they open up.

Bigger grids, longer games

A 6x6 grid has three times as many boxes as a 3x3 grid, making for a noticeably longer strategic battle.

Simple rules, sharp strategy

There's exactly one type of move — draw a line — yet who wins often comes down to sacrificing small chains to control big ones.

Dots and Boxes FAQ

Common questions about turns, scoring and grid size.

How do I complete a box?

Click any open line segment between two dots. When your line becomes the fourth and final side of a box, that box is filled with your color and counted toward your score.

What happens when I complete a box?

You get an extra turn. Play continues to pass back and forth normally whenever a move does not complete a box, but a move that completes one or more boxes lets the same player go again.

How does the game end?

The game ends automatically once every possible line on the board has been drawn and every box has been claimed. Whoever has the most boxes wins.

Can I change the board size?

Yes. Pick anywhere from a 3x3 to a 6x6 grid of boxes before starting a new game — bigger grids mean longer games and more total boxes to fight over.

Is there a computer opponent?

Not currently. This is a local two-player hotseat game for two people sharing one device.

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