About the game
Play Dots & Boxes online
Draw lines, close boxes — own the most squares to win.
Play Dots & Boxes online free — vs AI, pass-and-play with a friend, or online. Complete a box to claim it and take another turn. Quick browser matches.
Play vs AI, pass-and-play with a friend on one screen, or online against a real opponent — free, in your browser, no sign-up.
How to play Dots & Boxes
- 1Choose a mode: vs AI, pass-and-play with a friend, or online against a real opponent.
- 2On your turn, draw one line between two adjacent dots.
- 3Complete the fourth side of a box to claim it — and immediately take another turn.
- 4Think in chains: sometimes give away a short chain to win a longer one (the double-cross).
- 5When every line is drawn, whoever owns the most boxes wins.
Rules
- Players alternate, drawing one edge between adjacent dots per turn.
- Completing a box's fourth side claims it for you and grants an extra turn.
- One line can complete two boxes at once (still a single extra turn).
- The grid is 4×4 boxes (5×5 dots); play runs until all 40 edges are drawn.
- Most boxes wins; 8–8 is a draw.