Board
Dots & Boxes
Take turns drawing lines; close a box to claim it and go again. Most boxes wins.
2–4 players
Dots & Boxes guide
Draw lines, close boxes and set traps: the classic pencil-and-paper strategy game.
How to play Dots & Boxes
- Choose Singleplayer to play against bots, Local to pass one device around, or Online for 2-4 players.
- Pick a 3x3, 4x4, 5x5 or 6x6 board of boxes. It grows with the table: 4x4 for 2 players, 5x5 for 3 and 6x6 for 4. Online, the host chooses before the first line is drawn.
- On your turn, draw one line between two neighbouring dots, horizontally or vertically.
- If your line closes the fourth side of a box, the box is yours and you draw again. One line can close two boxes.
- When every line has been drawn, the player with the most boxes wins.
Rules
- Each turn draws exactly one line; a line that is already drawn cannot be drawn again.
- Closing a box scores one point and earns an immediate extra line.
- A line that closes nothing passes the turn to the next player.
- If the top score is shared, the game is a draw between those players.
Tips and strategy
- Avoid drawing the third side of a box: the next player will simply take it.
- Late in the game every move gives something away, so hand over the shortest chain you can.
- When taking a long chain, consider leaving the last two boxes so your opponent must open the next chain.
- Count the long chains early; controlling who has to open them usually decides the game.
Questions
Do I get another turn after closing a box?
Yes. Every time your line completes a box you draw again, so one move can win a whole chain of boxes.
How big is the Dots & Boxes board?
You can play 3x3, 4x4, 5x5 or 6x6 boxes. The default follows the player count: 4x4 (16 boxes, 40 lines) for 2 players, 5x5 (25 boxes, 60 lines) for 3 and 6x6 (36 boxes, 84 lines) for 4.
How many players can play Dots & Boxes?
Two to four players in local or online play. In singleplayer, Easy, Medium or Hard bots fill the other seats.
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