Play Tic-Tac-Toe Online
Get three Xs or three Os in a row before your opponent does. Play the computer (easy, medium or unbeatable) or a friend on the same screen.
- Free
- 3 computer levels
- 2 players on one screen
- No sign-up
100% private — Everything is processed directly in your browser: your files, voice, and image are never sent to Chatzam's servers.
How to play tic-tac-toe
-
Pick your mode
Play against the computer and choose its level (easy, medium or hard), or switch to “2 players” to take on a friend on the same device. You also decide who goes first.
-
Place your mark
Tap or click any empty square to place your X (blue). The computer or your opponent then plays an O (orange). Players take turns.
-
Get three in a row
The first to line up three marks across, down or diagonally wins, and the winning line is drawn on the board. If all nine squares fill up with no line, it's a draw (a “cat's game”).
A complete tic-tac-toe game, easy to pick up
Three computer levels
Easy mostly plays at random, medium knows how to win and block but slips up now and then, and hard never loses. Changing the level resets the scores so comparisons stay fair.
Two players on one screen
Pass the phone or share the mouse: both players take turns as “Player 1” and “Player 2”, with separate win counts.
You choose who goes first
Always go first, let your opponent start, or alternate every game. Going second against the hard computer is great practice for holding a draw.
Scores, undo and resume
Wins, losses and draws are counted and kept on this device until you reset them or change the mode or level. You can undo your last move, and the current game is saved on your device so you can finish it later.
Tic-tac-toe rules
Tic-tac-toe (also called noughts and crosses, or Xs and Os) is a two-player game on a grid of nine squares, three rows by three columns. One player uses X, the other uses O. Taking turns, each player puts their mark in an empty square. The first to get three of their marks in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, wins the game. If the grid fills up and nobody has three in a row, the game is a draw, often called a cat's game. There's nothing to install or download: the game runs right in your browser on computer, tablet and phone.
How to win at tic-tac-toe: strategies that work
Played perfectly, tic-tac-toe always ends in a draw: neither player can force a win against an opponent who makes no mistakes. So to win, you have to take advantage of the other player's errors. When you go first, take a corner or the center. A corner gives your opponent the most chances to go wrong, because their only safe reply is the center. Try to set up a “fork”, meaning two possible lines at once: your opponent can only block one of them. When you go second, take the center if the first player took a corner, and a corner if they took the center. And before every move, check whether your opponent is threatening to win on their next turn.
Play the computer: easy, medium or unbeatable
Easy mode plays at random and only grabs a winning move once in a while, which makes it perfect for a child learning the game. Medium mode follows a basic strategy (win if it can, block you, prefer the center then the corners) but makes the occasional mistake, so an attentive player can beat it. Hard mode looks at every possible way the game can go before it moves, using an algorithm called minimax: it is unbeatable. The best you can get against it is a draw, and that's excellent practice for learning never to miss a threat.
A two-player game you can play anywhere
The 2-player mode is made for killing time on a trip, in class or in a waiting room: one screen is enough, and each player moves on their turn. The scoreboard keeps track of each player's wins and the draws on this device until you reset it, and the “Take turns” option alternates who goes first so every game stays fair. Your current game is kept on the device: close the tab and it will be waiting when you come back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you beat the computer at tic-tac-toe?
On easy and medium, yes, especially if you attack with a fork (two possible lines at once). On hard, the computer never loses: the best you can do is a draw.
Who usually wins tic-tac-toe?
When both players make no mistakes, the game is always a draw. A win comes from an opponent's error, such as failing to block a line or letting a fork form.
What is the best first move?
A corner sets the most traps for your opponent: only one reply (the center) avoids a loss. The center is also a very good, safer choice.
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. Choose “2 players”: pass the device back and forth and tap the square you want on your turn. No account needed.
How do I undo a move?
Use the “Undo move” button. Against the computer, it goes back to your last move and also removes the computer's reply; in 2-player mode, it undoes the last move played.
Are my scores and game saved?
Yes, on your device only: the current game and the scores are stored in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. Clearing your browser data erases them.