Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe is a game of skill for 1 or 2 players in which the main objective is to face a tough opponent in a fantastic turn-based logic game in which you must place three of your pieces in a line before your opponent does it on a 3x3 board.

Surely you have played tic-tac-toe, also known as cat game or Tic Tac Toe game. It's a mini duel in which X and O face off to see who can line up three squares first. At first glance it looks like a trivial game, but behind those nine positions there are tactics, psychology and even moves worthy of a chess player.

Below, we review the basic rules of the game of tic-tac-toe, then we define some strategies that will increase your chances of winning and, finally, we tell you what to do depending on how your opponent starts.

Rules of tic-tac-toe

The board is a 3×3 grid. Two players take turns placing their mark, X or O, on an empty square. The goal is to get three in a row: horizontally, vertically or diagonally. If all nine squares are occupied without anyone completing a line, the result is a tie.

Strategies for winning at tic-tac-toe

The key to the tic-tac-toe game is to always think a couple of moves ahead. The center is the most valuable square because it participates in four lines. The corners are the second objective: they connect with two lines and allow you to create "forks" (scenarios in which you generate two chances to win at the same time). If you manage to force the opponent to cover one, the other will be free to close the game.

Also keep the defensive radar on. If your opponent gets two in a row, block without hesitation. Avoid giving him careless forks. A universal truth is that if you both play perfectly, the outcome will always be a draw. Your real mission is to take the game to a point where your opponent makes a mistake... and take advantage of it.

How to win the game Tic Tac Toe if...

...your opponent starts in the center...

Your best response will be to occupy a corner, never an edge. That move gives you room to build a fork later. For example, if your opponent takes the center and you choose the upper left corner, and then he responds on any edge, your ideal next step is the opposite corner. This way you set up two possible winning lines at the same time.

The trick is to alternate pressure and defense: when your opponent threatens, block without hesitation. When he doesn't, place your marks forming diagonals or "L's" that, on the next move, become a double threat.

...your opponent starts on the edge.

This is where you can show off. Respond by taking the center immediately: with that move you ensure control of four possible lines and, in the process, neutralize most of your opponent's combinations.

Then, aim for a safe corner, the one that does not expose you to an easy trap. For example, if your opponent places his mark on the left edge, capture the center and then take the upper right or lower right corner. From there, your goal is to force a fork that forces the opponent to block one while leaving the other ready for the finish.

The next time someone challenges you to a game of jack, don't play X's and O's at random. Take the center as your base and the corners as your arsenal. Nine squares seem few, but they hide a thousand possibilities.

Tic-tac-toe: small board, big battles

Are you ready to get your head screwed on? You will have 2 minutes to win as many times as possible, but be careful, don't be overconfident! Select the difficulty of the game by choosing the size of the board and get ready to have fun! Good luck... Are you tired of wasting paper? Now you can play 3 in a row online! Test all your senses and compete against the computer or an online opponent.