3 Ways to Win at Tic Tac Toe

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3 Ways to Win at Tic Tac Toe
3 Ways to Win at Tic Tac Toe

Video: 3 Ways to Win at Tic Tac Toe

Video: 3 Ways to Win at Tic Tac Toe
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Tic Tac Toe is a solved game. This means that there is a known and mathematically tested strategy to follow to achieve the best result in each match. In a Tic Tac Toe game, two players who follow the right strategy end up in a tie, with no player winning. Against an opponent who is unaware of this strategy, however, you can win whenever he makes a mistake. When your friends figure out your strategy, try a harder version of the rules.

If you don't know how to play the Tic Tac Toe game, learn the basics.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Winning or tying when starting the game

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 1
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 1

Step 1. Place the first X in a corner

The most experienced Tic-Tale players put the first X in a corner when they play first. This strategy creates more possibilities for the opponent to make a mistake. If the opponent responds by inserting an O in any square beside the center, you can guarantee victory.

  • In this example, you play first and use X as a symbol. Your opponent is second and uses O.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 1Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 1Bullet1
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2

Step 2. Try to win if the opponent puts the first O in the center

If your opponent inserts the first O in the center, to win you will need to wait until he makes a mistake. If he continues to play in the right way, he can guarantee a draw. Here are two options for the second move, followed by instructions on how to win if he makes certain moves (if he doesn't, just block his moves and the game ends in a draw):

  • Place the second X in the opposite corner of the first X, creating an "X O X" diagonal line. If he responds with an O in one of the corners, you can win! Place the third X in the last empty corner and your opponent will not be able to prevent your victory with the fourth X.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2Bullet1
  • Or, insert the second X in a square on the edge (not a corner), without touching the first X. If your opponent puts an O in the corner not next to the X, you can use the third X to block his move and automatically win with fourth X.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2Bullet2
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 2Bullet2
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 3
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 3

Step 3. Automatically win if the opponent places the first O in a square next to the center

If your opponent places the first O in any square beside the center, you can win. Respond by placing the second X in any other corner, with a blank space between the two Xs.

  • For example, let's say your first X is inserted in the upper left square and the opponent places an O in the upper middle square. You can place the second X in the lower left corner or the lower right corner. Don't put it in the upper right corner because that way there will be an O between the two Xs instead of an empty space.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 3Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 3Bullet1
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 4
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 4

Step 4. Place the third X so that you have two possible winning plays

Most of the time, the opponent pays attention if you have two Xs in a row and blocks you. (Otherwise win by forming a line of three Xs.) After that, there should be an empty square on the same line as the first and second Xs, without an enemy O blocking the line. Put the third X in that square.

For example, take a paper and draw a tic-tac-toe with "X O _" on the top line, "O _ _, " on the middle line, and "X _ _" on the bottom line. If you place the third X in the lower right corner, it will line up with the other two Xs

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 5
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 5

Step 5. Win with Room X

After the third X, you win the game by placing an X in one of two of the empty squares. As the opponent only has one move, he can only block one of these squares. Make the fourth X on the square he didn't block and you'll win the game!

Method 2 of 3: Never lose as a second player

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 6
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 6

Step 1. Force a tie if the opponent starts in the corner

If the opponent plays first and starts with an O in the corner, always insert the first X in the center. The second X should be placed on a ledge, not a corner, unless you need to prevent the opponent from inserting three Os in a row. With this strategy, any game ends in a draw. In theory, you can win, but your opponent would need to make a big mistake, like not seeing you have two X's in a row.

In this section, the opponent still plays Os, but remember that he plays first this time

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 7
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 7

Step 2. Force a tie when the opponent starts in the center

When the opponent starts putting an O in the center, insert the first X in a corner. After that, keep preventing your opponent from scoring and the game will end in a draw. Basically, there is no way to win with this play layout unless your opponent stops trying to win or prevents you from winning!

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 8
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 8

Step 3. Try to win if your opponent starts on the edge

Most of the time, the opponent starts with one of the moves above. However, if your opponent inserts the first O on a ledge, not a corner or center, you have a slim chance of winning. Put the first X in the center. If the opponent places the second O on the opposite edge, forming a row or column with the shape O-X-O, place the second X in a corner. Then, if the opponent inserts the third O on the edge adjacent to the X, forming a line shaped like O-X-O, place the third X on the empty square to block the line of two Os. From that point on, you can win with the fourth X.

  • If, at any time, the opponent does not make the exact move described above, you will need to play for a draw. Just start blocking his moves and none of you will win.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 8Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 8Bullet1

Method 3 of 3: Tic-Tip Variations

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 9
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 9

Step 1. Try these variations if the tic-tac-toe always ends in a draw

It might be fun for a while to be unbeatable at Tic Tac Toe, but even without this article, your friends can figure out how to stop you from winning. When that happens, every tic-tac-toe you play with them will end in a draw - what a rage! But you can use the basic rules of the Tic Tac Toe game to play games that are not so easy to solve. Try the games described below.

Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 10
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 10

Step 2. Play the mind-ticker game

The rules are exactly the same as in the Tic Tac Toe game, but without the game diagram! Instead, each player speaks the move and imagines the diagram. You can use all the strategy advice presented in this article, but it can be difficult to focus when trying to remember where the Xs and Os are.

  • Agree on a system for describing plays. For example, the first word is the row (top, middle, or bottom) and the second word is the column (left, middle, or right).

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 10Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 10Bullet1
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 11
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 11

Step 3. Play the Tic Tac Toe 3D game

Draw three tic-tac-toe diagrams on separate pieces of paper. Call one diagram "upper", another "middle", and the third "lower". You can play any position on these diagrams, and they work as if they were stacked on top of each other to form a cube. For example, whoever gets the center in all three diagrams wins the game, as the player then forms a vertical line across the cube. Filling three squares in a row on any diagram is also a victory. See if you can figure out how to win with a diagonal line crossing the three diagrams.

  • As a real challenge, combine the two variations and try playing the mental tic tale 3D game. The first word is the diagram (top, middle or bottom), the second word is the row (top, middle or bottom) and the third word is the column (left, middle or right).

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 11Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 11Bullet1
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 12
Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 12

Step 4. Play 5 in Line

Play this game, sometimes called Gomoku, on graph paper, without even having to draw a diagram. Instead of marking Xs and Os on the squares, draw them at the intersections of the lines on the graph paper. You can make the moves anywhere on the graph paper. The first player to manage to align five marks (not six or more) wins the game. This game is quite complicated, although it doesn't look like it, despite the similarity to the Tic Tac Toe game, and it even has world championships.

  • In tournaments, players use a 15x15 or 19x19 diagram, but you can use any size graph paper for this game. You can even play on an infinite diagram, adding more graph paper whenever you need it.

    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 12Bullet1
    Win at Tic Tac Toe Step 12Bullet1

Tips

  • Against a novice opponent, try this challenge. Be the first and make the first X on the edge. You can only guarantee a win if the opponent's first O is placed in a corner without touching the X or on an edge that is diagonal to the X. Can you imagine how to win in these two situations?
  • As an even tougher challenge, try to win by playing first and putting an X in the center. If the opponent inserts the first O on a ledge (which it rarely happens), you can guarantee a victory. Can you imagine how?
  • There are other solved games that a person can win, even if all players play correctly. For example, in Line 4, the first player can win if he follows the right strategy.

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