How to Play Noughts and Crosses

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Noughts and Crosses is a two-player pen-and-paper game played on a simple 3x3 grid. One player claims the noughts (O) and the other the crosses (X), and they alternate filling squares until one player lines up three of their marks or every square is taken. A single game takes under two minutes, which is precisely its appeal.

It is one of the most widely played games in the world because it needs nothing more than a scrap of paper and a pen. It is a staple of classrooms, waiting rooms, and kitchen tables, and it serves as many children's first introduction to the idea of thinking a move ahead.

A little history

The origins of Noughts and Crosses are unclear, though games involving the placement of marks on a grid to form a row have existed for centuries across several cultures. A Roman game called Terni Lapilli, played on a grid scratched into stone, is widely cited as a possible ancestor, though whether its rules were identical is not established. The name 'Noughts and Crosses' is well documented in British usage by the nineteenth century. The game is known as Tic-Tac-Toe in North America, though that name traditionally referred to a different game before the meanings converged.

Setting up

1. Draw two vertical parallel lines to create three columns.
2. Draw two horizontal parallel lines across them to create three rows, giving nine squares in total.
3. Decide which player takes O (noughts) and which takes X (crosses). A quick coin toss or agreement is sufficient.
4. Decide which player goes first. Traditionally the player with X goes first, though any agreement is fine.

How to play

1. Players take turns. On your turn, write your mark (O or X) in any single empty square.
2. You may not place a mark in a square that is already occupied.
3. A turn cannot be skipped or passed.
4. Continue alternating turns until one player wins or no empty squares remain.
5. A player wins by placing three of their own marks in a complete, unbroken row: horizontally across any of the three rows, vertically down any of the three columns, or diagonally from corner to corner.
6. The game ends immediately when a winning line is completed. The remaining empty squares do not need to be filled.
7. If all nine squares are filled and no player has completed a line of three, the game is a draw, often called a 'cat's game'.

Winning and scoring

A player wins by completing a straight line of exactly three of their own marks. There are eight possible winning lines on a standard 3x3 grid: three horizontal rows, three vertical columns, and two diagonals. The first player to complete any one of those eight lines wins that game. If all nine squares are filled without either player completing a line, the result is a draw. For a best-of series, agree in advance how many games constitute a match and keep a running tally.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a winning line was truly completed or whether a mark was placed outside a square. Keeping the grid lines clear and writing marks neatly inside the boundaries prevents most arguments. If a mark is ambiguous between two squares, the player who drew it should clarify before the opponent takes their turn; the mark cannot be moved after the opponent has played.

A player who misses a winning move has no obligation to take it and may play elsewhere, even if that seems counterintuitive. There is no rule requiring a player to block an opponent's winning threat; failing to do so is simply poor strategy, not a foul. If a player writes their mark and then claims they meant a different square, the mark stands where it was placed; a turn is considered complete once the pen leaves the paper.

How to win more often

• Take the centre square on your first move if you go first. It is involved in four of the eight winning lines, more than any other square.
• If you cannot take the centre, take a corner. Corner squares each participate in three winning lines.
• Always block an opponent who has two marks in a line with one empty square remaining. Missing a block on their third turn loses the game immediately.
• When you have two marks in a line yourself, complete the line if the third square is empty; do not delay.
• Create a fork: position your marks so that you threaten two different winning lines simultaneously. Your opponent can only block one, so you win on the next move. With optimal play by both sides every game ends in a draw, so forcing a fork is the main winning method against a careless opponent.

Variations

Misere (Losing) Noughts and Crosses

The winning condition is reversed: the first player to complete a line of three of their own marks loses the game. This sounds simple but forces a completely different strategic approach, since you must place marks while avoiding completing any row, column, or diagonal yourself.

Ultimate Noughts and Crosses

Nine standard 3x3 grids are arranged in a 3x3 pattern, forming one large board. Winning a small grid claims that square on the large board, and the first player to win three small grids in a line on the large board wins the match. The square a player marks within a small grid determines which small grid the opponent must play in on their next turn, adding a layer of positional strategy that removes the draw-heavy nature of the standard game.

4x4 Noughts and Crosses

The grid is expanded to four rows and four columns, giving sixteen squares. Players still take turns placing their mark, but now need four marks in a line to win. The larger board makes draws less inevitable and allows more complex attacking and blocking patterns.

Gomoku (Five in a Row)

Played on a much larger grid, commonly 15x15, each player needs to complete an unbroken line of five of their marks to win. The game has a substantial competitive following and the increased grid size means both attack and defence become genuinely complex. Any large sheet of squared paper serves as a board.

Noughts and Crosses: frequently asked questions