Dots and boxes maker

How to play

1. Each board is a grid of dots. Players take turns drawing one straight line that joins two neighbouring dots.
2. When a line closes the fourth side of a box, write your initial in that box and draw again.
3. A box marked with a star is a bonus box and counts for two points instead of one.
4. Keep playing until every possible line has been drawn.
5. Count each player's boxes and points. The player with the higher total wins, and the score table is where you write it down.

Tips

• Avoid drawing the third side of a box, because that gives your opponent a box to claim.
• Near the end, look for long chains of boxes. They often decide the game, so count them before you draw.
• Use a different pencil colour for each player so the lines are easy to tell apart at a glance.
• Large print gives one board per page, which is easier to share around a table.

Where it comes from

Dots and boxes was published by the French mathematician Édouard Lucas in 1889 under the name La Pipopipette. Two players take turns drawing lines, and the classic strategy is to avoid drawing the third side of any box, because that hands the other player a box to claim.

Played in: Europe

Questions