Ultimate Tic Tac Toe
Strategy, Puzzle, 2 Player · Updated
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Ultimate Tic Tac Toe takes the game everyone knows and puts a whole game inside every square. The big board is made of nine small boards. Win a small board and you claim that square of the big board. Get three claimed squares in a row and you win. It is also called Super Tic Tac Toe or Extreme Tic Tac Toe, and you can play it here in your browser against the computer or a friend.
How to play
X moves first in the first round and can play in any square of any board. After that, one rule drives the whole game: the square you pick sends your opponent to the matching board. Play in the top right square of a small board, and your opponent must play their next move somewhere in the top right board. The boards you can play in are highlighted.
- Get three of your marks in a row inside a small board to win it. A big X or O covers the board you won.
- If a small board fills up with no winner, it is a draw and counts for nobody.
- If you are sent to a board that is already won or full, you may play in any open board.
- Win three small boards in a row, across, down or diagonally, to win the game. If no moves are left, the round is a draw.
On a keyboard, the arrow keys move across all 81 squares and Enter plays. The number keys 1 to 9 play a square in the board you are sent to, counting from the top left. When you can play anywhere, the first number picks a board and the second picks the square. On a phone or tablet, tap a square inside a highlighted board. N starts the next round and M switches the music.
How to win
- Read the destination, not just the square. Each move is half attack and half delivery. A square that wins you nothing but sends your opponent to a dead board is often better than a square that sets up two in a row.
- Don’t give away free moves. Sending your opponent to a closed board lets them play anywhere. Do it only when you are sure they have nothing strong to play.
- Fight for the centre board. It is part of four winning lines on the big board, more than any other.
- Sacrifice small boards. You only need three in a row on the big board. Letting your opponent take a corner board is fine if it lets you take control of the centre.
Three computer levels and two players
Easy plays random legal moves and is a good way to learn the sending rule. Medium takes small boards when it can, blocks yours, and avoids sending you somewhere you are about to win. Hard plays out many possible games before each move and is a real test. Choose 2 Players to share the screen with a friend. Your choice of opponent and level is remembered on this device, and the side that starts switches every round.
Who it is for
If Tic Tac Toe always ends in a draw for you, this is the next step. A round takes a few minutes, which makes it a good fit for a coffee break, and it works the same with a mouse, a keyboard or a touch screen. It is also a good game for two people at one table, because both players see the whole board and every decision. For another turn-based game against the computer or a friend, try Mancala.
How to get a high score
- Every move is also an instruction. Before you play a square, look at the board it sends your opponent to and ask what they can do there.
- Avoid sending your opponent to a board where they already have two in a row. That hands them a small board for free.
- Be careful about sending your opponent to a board that is already won or full. They can then play anywhere, which is the strongest move in the game.
- The centre board is worth the most, because it sits on four of the eight winning lines. Squares that send your opponent to the centre board deserve a second look.
- Losing one small board is fine. Winning three in a row on the big board is all that counts, so give up a board if it buys you a better position elsewhere.
Questions
What is Ultimate Tic Tac Toe?
It is tic tac toe played on nine small boards arranged in a three-by-three grid. Win a small board to claim that square of the big board, and claim three in a row on the big board to win the game. It is also called Super Tic Tac Toe or Extreme Tic Tac Toe.
How is it different from normal tic tac toe?
The square you pick inside a small board decides which small board your opponent must play in next. That one rule means you can never think about only one board, and it turns a game that always ends in a draw into a real strategy game.
What happens if I am sent to a board that is already won or full?
You may play in any open square on any board that is still in play. Boards that have been won or filled up are closed, and nobody can play in them again.
Can I play against a friend?
Yes. Choose 2 Players and take turns on the same screen. The score for X, O and draws is kept until you change the opponent or the level.
How strong is the computer?
Easy plays random legal moves. Medium wins and blocks small boards and avoids sending you to boards where you are about to win. Hard plays out many possible games before every move, and it is a real challenge even for experienced players.
Is there a draw?
Yes. If no one gets three small boards in a row and there are no legal moves left, the game is a draw. A small board that fills up with no winner counts for nobody.
