Dots and Boxes

How to Play Dots and Boxes

Play Dots and Boxes online for free in your browser. This version was made by the CrazyArcade team and follows the classic pencil-and-paper rules. Players take turns drawing one horizontal or vertical line between two neighbouring dots. When your line closes the fourth side of a box, the box is filled with your colour and initial and you must draw another line. The game ends when every line has been drawn, and the player with more boxes wins. You can choose a board of 3x3, 5x5 or 7x7 boxes, with 5x5 selected the first time you play. There are two modes. In vs Computer you play against one of three levels. Easy always takes a box when one is ready, but otherwise draws lines with little care and sometimes gives boxes away. Medium always takes boxes, avoids drawing the third side of a box while a safe line exists, and when it has to give something away it gives the smallest number of boxes. Hard counts the chains and loops on the board, searches the last safe moves to try to gain control of the endgame, and will leave the final two boxes of a chain to its opponent when that keeps control. In 2 Players mode two people share one device and take turns. The player to move is shown in the side panel next to the live box count for each side. The most recent line glows, and a faint line previews where you are about to draw. On a touch screen the preview follows your finger and the line is drawn when you lift it. Undo takes back one line in 2 Players mode, or returns to your last move against the computer. The first player alternates each new game. The panel keeps a tally of wins for the current session, and your record against each computer level and board size is saved in your browser.

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