A game from France

How to Play Dots and Boxes

Draw lines to close boxes. Close one and go again.

Origin FrancePlayers 1–2 · onlinePrice Free

The rules

Take turns joining two dots with a line. Draw the fourth side of a box and you claim it — then draw again. Most boxes wins. A classic you can play with paper and pencil.

Where it came from

It began as "La Pipopipette," introduced by the 19th-century French mathematician Édouard Lucas. Students have been playing it in the margins of their notebooks for more than a century.

How to win

Learn to give boxes away. Late in the game, count the chains: hand your opponent the short ones so you can collect the long ones. The double-cross — leaving the last two boxes — decides most games.

Get the app on the App Store (free) Play in your browser — no install

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