Dots and Boxes guide

Goal

Claim more boxes than your opponents. On a grid of dots, players take turns drawing one line at a time between two adjacent dots. Whoever completes the fourth side of a box claims it.

Taking a Turn

• On your turn, click an empty line segment between two adjacent dots to draw it.
• If your line completes one or more boxes, that box is claimed in your color and shows your player number.
• Completing a box earns you another turn immediately - keep going until a move completes no box.
• If your line completes no box, play passes to the next player.

Chains

• A single line can close two boxes at once (the line between them).
• Because completing a box grants another move, a well-timed move can chain through a whole row of boxes in one turn.
• Plan ahead: handing your opponent a long chain can swing the game.

Scoring Modes

• Classic: each claimed box is worth 1 point. Most boxes wins.
• Swedish: the final score is your boxes minus your opponents boxes, rewarding dominant chains.

Winning

The game ends when every line has been drawn and all boxes are claimed. The player with the highest score wins. Equal scores are a draw.

Controls

• Click or tap a line to place it.
• Keyboard: Tab to a line, then Arrow keys to move between lines, Enter or Space to place.
• Home / End jump to the first / last available line.