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A step-by-step guide that explains the best strategies for always winning in Tic Tac Toe.
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Tic Tac Toe and its variations have been played for thousands of years, even as far back as BC, and it still retains a good bit of fun, especially for children. It’s simple, easy to understand, and can be played just about anywhere, from your phone to a table napkin. You can wing it and place your marks anywhere or you can learn how to always win at Tic Tac Toe with the best Tic Tac Toe strategy.
How to Always Win at Tic Tac Toe | Best Tic Tac Toe Strategy
Best Tic Tac Toe Strategy When Going First
You’ll have a much easier time winning at Tic Tac Toe if you’re going first; however, the chances decrease depending on how your opponent responds to your first move. In a best case scenario:
- Assuming you’re playing X, place the first mark in any corner.
As long as your opponent doesn’t place their O in the center, move onto the next step.
- Now place your X in the opposite corner of the first one.
It doesn’t matter which corner, as long as your opponent’s O isn’t between your marks.
Place your X in the remaining corner. - Place your X in the remaining corner.
Any competent player will try to block your last move. By placing your X in the last corner, you’ve secured two possible ways of winning.
- Place your final X in the center of the board.
This is assuming the player attempted to block your last move once again. Now you can win diagonally. If they place the O in the center, you can secure a victory along the sides.
What if your opponent does place their X/O in the center? Play out the round using the same steps in order to at least cause a tie.
Best Tic Tac Toe Strategy When Going Second
Winning Tic Tac Toe going second is a bit trickier due to the huge advantage going first can offer if your opponent places their X/O in a corner. If they don’t, then you can follow the strategy in the previous section to win; if not, you can instead cause a draw (or possibly win):
- Assuming you’re playing O and your opponent placed their X in the corner, place your O in the center.
- Your opponent will now attempt to secure a position in every corner, so you’ll respond by placing your O in between their marks.
Depending on how the game plays out, you can potentially win with this strategy or, at the very least, cause a tie. It’s usually the latter, but if your opponent slips up, you can secure a victory by getting three in a row in the middle of the board.
Now that you know how to always win at Tic Tac Toe with the best Tic Tac Toe strategy, why not give Corner Chess Piece a try? If you prefer strategy card games, there’s always Hearthstone and its latest expansion.
Featured Image Source: Pixabay/PIRO4D
