Two players · 4 min · turn-based

Dots and Boxes

The pen-and-paper dots and lines game. Draw a line. Close a square. Go again.

Take turns drawing one line between two dots. Draw the fourth side of a square and you claim it, and you get another go straight away, so one good move can run into a whole chain. When every line is drawn, whoever owns the most squares wins.

Play Dots and Boxes Leaderboard

No account needed: press play and you join as a guest. Create an account later to keep your history and earn a rating.

How to play Dots and Boxes

The board is a 5×5 grid of dots, with room for sixteen boxes.
Take turns drawing one line between two neighbouring dots.
Draw the fourth side of a box and it is yours, and you draw again straight away.
Chains form: one move can close several boxes in a row.
When every line is drawn, whoever owns more boxes wins. Eight each is a draw.

Controls

Tap the gap between two dots to draw a line
Close a square to go again

Tips to win

Avoid drawing the third side of a box: it hands your rival that box and another go.
Late in the game, when every move gives something away, give up the shortest chain first.
Advanced: take all but the last two boxes of a long chain and leave them, so your rival has to open the next chain for you.

How a match works

Open the game on your device and press play.
Get matched with someone straight away, or send a friend your private room link and wait for them to join.
You take turns; each move appears on the other screen as soon as the server accepts it. A match takes about 4 minutes.
Lost your connection? Come back within a minute and the match carries on where it stopped.

Also known as: dots and lines · boxes game · squares game · pigs in a pen · dot game

Questions

Can I play Dots and Boxes online with a friend?

Yes. Open Dots and Boxes, choose to play a friend and send them the private room link, they open it on their own phone or computer and the match starts when you are both ready. You can also invite a player by username, or take a quick match against whoever is waiting.

Is Dots and Boxes free, and do I need an account?

It is free, with no download and no account needed: press play and you join as a guest. Create an account later if you want to keep your match history and earn a rating on the leaderboard.

Why do I get another turn after closing a box?

That is the classic rule, and it is what makes the game deep: closing a box earns another line, so chains of boxes can fall in one turn.