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Dots & Boxes

Easy

Connect dots to form boxes and claim them as yours. The player with the most boxes wins this strategic grid game.

👥
Players
2
⏱️
Duration
10–20 min
🎂
Age
6+
🎯
Objective

Claim the most boxes by completing their fourth side.

How to Play

1Setup

  1. The board is a grid of dots (e.g., 5×5 dots = 4×4 boxes).
  2. Each player uses a different color pen or pencil.
  3. Decide who goes first.

2Playing

  1. On your turn, draw one horizontal or vertical line connecting two adjacent dots.
  2. If your line completes the fourth side of a box, write your initial inside it and take another turn.
  3. Keep taking extra turns as long as you complete boxes.

3Winning

  1. The game ends when all lines have been drawn.
  2. Count each player's boxes — the player with the most boxes wins.

4Strategy

  1. Avoid drawing the third side of a box — it gives your opponent an easy score.
  2. Sometimes sacrifice a few boxes to force your opponent into a chain that gives you many more.
strategypencil2 players

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