Online Tool Store
Dots and Boxes
Play Dots and Boxes against a computer opponent on a grid of your chosen size — draw lines to claim boxes and outscore the opponent.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
You
0
Your turn
Computer
0
How Dots and Boxes works
- Pick a grid size and click a line segment between two dots to draw it — it's your turn first.
- If your line completes the fourth side of a box, you claim that box (shown in your color) and get to move again.
- Otherwise, turns alternate — the computer opponent moves automatically after yours.
- When every line on the grid is drawn, the boxes are tallied and the player with more boxes wins.
FAQ
What are the rules?
Players take turns drawing one line between two adjacent dots. Completing the fourth side of a box claims it for that player and earns another turn immediately — so a single turn can chain into several free moves. The player with the most claimed boxes when the grid is full wins.
How smart is the computer opponent?
It plays a two-tier heuristic: it always takes a box it can complete immediately (chaining as many free boxes as available), and otherwise picks a line that doesn't hand you a free box — i.e. it avoids being the one to draw a box's third side. It doesn't look further ahead than that, so a player who plans chains carefully can still beat it.
Why does completing a box give me another turn?
That's the standard rule of Dots and Boxes, not a bug — it's what creates the game's signature "chain" strategy, where a skilled player deliberately avoids taking small chains early to force the opponent into opening up a much bigger one later in the game.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Pencil and paper with a friend | An ad-supported game portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| No file upload — runs in your browser | ✓ | N/A | ✗ |
| No sign-up required | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free, no watermark | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
The classic version needs a second player and a piece of paper. This version gives you a computer opponent whenever you want one, with no ads interrupting the game between rounds.