Instructions
- Step 1: Draw a tic-tac-toe board Draw your tic-tac-toe board on a piece of paper using a pen or pencil. It should have nine squares total, with three on the top, three in the middle, and three on the bottom.
- Step 2: Get the first turn Whether you are flipping a coin or throwing dice, you need to win the right to the first move if you don’t want to lose the game.
- Step 3: Mark the center square Mark the center square with an “X” or an “O.” This is the key to guaranteeing you’ll never lose in tic-tac-toe when you have the first move.
- TIP: Following this rule will not guarantee you a win. It will guarantee that, even against a tic-tac-toe master, you will never lose.
- Step 4: Go to the right After your opponent makes their mark, look to see if there is a square to the right of it available. If so, take it with your next move.
- Step 5: If you can’t go right, go left If the square to the right isn’t available, take the square to the left with your next move.
- Step 6: If you can’t go right or left, go above If the squares to the right and left are taken, place your next mark above their last mark.
- Step 7: If all else fails, go below If the squares to the right and left and above your opponent’s last move are taken, choose the square below it.
- Step 8: Repeat Repeat the right-left-above-and-below rule for each move you play. Congratulations! You may not win, but you’ll never be a loser.
- FACT: In the movie “WarGames,” war is averted when the computer is shown that nuclear war, like tic-tac-toe, can not be won.
You Will Need
- An opponent
- A pencil or pen
- Paper
