Box Claim
Take turns drawing lines between dots and claim every box you close. Finish a box and you move again. A tactical dots-and-boxes duel against the computer.
How to play
- The board is a grid of dots. On your turn, tap the gap between two neighbouring dots to draw a line.
- If your line completes the fourth side of a box, you claim it and take another turn straight away.
- Otherwise the turn passes to the computer.
- When all 16 boxes are claimed, the player with the most boxes wins.
Tips and strategy
- Never draw a third side of a box unless you have to. It hands your opponent a free box.
- Always take boxes that are on offer, but watch for long chains: sometimes it is better to give the last two boxes away to keep control.
- Count the safe lines left. The player who runs out of safe moves first has to open a chain for the other.
- One line can close two boxes at once, so look for lines between two boxes that both have three sides.
FAQ
- Why do I get another turn after claiming a box?
- That is the standard rule of dots and boxes. It makes closing boxes valuable and creates the chain tactics that decide most games.
- Can the game end in a draw?
- Yes. With 16 boxes the score can be 8 to 8, which is shown as a draw.
- What does the hard computer do differently?
- Both medium and hard take free boxes and avoid giving them away. When every move gives something up, hard picks the line that gives away the fewest boxes.