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How to Play Tic-Tac-Toe

Rules and strategy tips for Tic-Tac-Toe, for first-time players.

How to play Tic-Tac-Toe

  1. 1

    The board is a 3 × 3 grid of nine squares. Two players take turns placing their mark in an empty square. On this site, X goes first and O goes second.

  2. 2

    A mark stays where it is placed. You can't place a mark on a square that is already taken.

  3. 3

    The first player to get three of their marks in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, wins. There are eight possible lines.

  4. 4

    If all nine squares fill up and nobody has three in a row, the game is a draw.

Tips to win

Play Tic-Tac-Toe →

FAQ

Is Tic-Tac-Toe free to play?

Yes, and there's no sign-up. Play right in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer.

Can I choose how strong the computer is?

Yes, there are five levels: Beginner, Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert. Beginner sometimes misses a win or forgets to block you, so first-time players can win. From Medium up, the computer always blocks your third mark. Expert looks at every move to the end of the game, so it never loses. A draw against Expert is a good result.

Is it better to go first or second?

With perfect play the game is always a draw. Going first makes it easier to set up attacks and win when your opponent slips.

Can two people play?

Yes. Choose "2 players" as the opponent and take turns on the same device.

Are there undo and hints?

You can undo as many times as you like. Against the computer, undo takes you back to before your last move. Press Hint to highlight the best square.

Is this the same as noughts and crosses?

Yes. Tic-Tac-Toe is also called noughts and crosses or Xs and Os. The rules are the same: three in a row on a 3 × 3 grid.

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