Dots and Boxes — Play 2 Player Online Free

Dots and boxes is the pen-and-paper game most of us played on the back of a notebook. You take turns joining dots with lines, and every time you close a box you score it. It is quick to learn and gets surprisingly tactical, which makes it a great game for two people. Dots and Boxes 2 lets you play it in your browser, with no pen and no download.

From the start menu you choose how to play:

Two Players: you and a friend take turns on the same screen. We tried it: when Player 1 draws a line, the game switches to Player 2, and nothing moves on its own.
vs AI Bot: play against the computer at Normal, Hard or Expert difficulty.

You also choose the board size: Small (4×4), Medium (6×6) or Large (8×8), or a custom size of up to 20×20. Small boards are quick, and big boards give you room for long chains and clever traps. There is a Settings menu and a Statistics screen too. According to the developer, you can pick a colour for each player, and a Quick Game option starts you with 40% of the lines already drawn.

To draw a line, click or tap the gap between two neighbouring dots. The board we started on had five rows of five dots.

Fancy a different pen-and-paper classic? Try tic tac toe 2 player.

How to play

Dots and boxes rules

The board is a grid of dots. Players take turns, and on each turn you draw one line between two neighbouring dots, either horizontally or vertically.
When your line completes the fourth side of a box, you claim that box and score a point.
Whenever you complete a box, you take another turn.
The game ends when all the lines are drawn. The player with the most boxes wins.

How to play 2 player on one screen

Choose Two Players, pick a board size and start. Players share the mouse or the touchscreen and take turns. The top of the screen shows the score for Player 1 and Player 2. Agree beforehand who goes first, and swap next game.

Tips to win more boxes

Don't draw the third side of a box. If a box already has two sides, adding a third lets your opponent close it and score.
Take free boxes, but look ahead. Closing a box gives you another turn, so before you take a long row of boxes, check what you will have to open afterwards.
Count the safe moves. Toward the middle of the game, players run out of lines that do not give something away. The person who has to make the first "unsafe" line usually loses boxes.
Learn about chains. A chain is a row of boxes that can be taken one after another. When you have to open one, open the shortest chain first, so your opponent gains as little as possible.
Keep control near the end. When your opponent opens a long chain, you don't always have to take every box. Sometimes it is worth leaving the last two boxes for them so that they have to open the next chain for you.

More games for two: Connect 4 two player, 2 player checkers and the list of best board games for 2 players.

Frequently asked questions

How do you play dots and boxes?

Take turns drawing one line between two neighbouring dots. When you draw the fourth side of a box, you claim it and go again. When all the lines are drawn, the player with the most boxes wins.

Can two people play dots and boxes on the same screen?

Yes. Choose Two Players in Dots and Boxes 2 and take turns on the same device. In our test the game passed the turn to Player 2 after Player 1 drew a line.

Can I play dots and boxes against the computer?

Yes. The vs AI Bot mode has three difficulty levels: Normal, Hard and Expert.

What board sizes can I play?

Small (4×4), Medium (6×6), Large (8×8) or a custom size of up to 20×20.

Do you get another turn after making a box?

Yes. When you complete a box, you draw again. That is why it can pay to look ahead before you take a long row of boxes.

Is it free? Do I need to download anything?

It is free and runs in your browser, with no download and no sign-up.