Noughts & Crosses on a 3 by 3 or 5 by 5 board
Noughts & Crosses in Games by Zaweba is chalk on a blackboard: best of five against the computer on a 3 by 3 board, or 5 by 5 with four in a row.
Noughts & Crosses in Games by Zaweba is drawn in chalk on a blackboard, which suits a game most people first played at school. You draw crosses and the computer draws noughts. It is played as a best of five series, on either a 3 by 3 board or a 5 by 5 board, and it sits on the Board games shelf.
Everybody knows the small board. The larger one is where the game finds new life.
The rules on each board
You and the computer take turns marking an empty square, you with a cross and the computer with a nought.
On the 3 by 3 board, three in a row wins the round. The line can go across, down or diagonally.
On the 5 by 5 board, you need four in a row instead. The bigger board, and the longer line, make for much more open games with far more to think about.
A series is five rounds, and you take turns to start, so neither side always has the first move. Whoever wins more rounds takes the series.
One click per move
Click an empty square to draw your cross. That is the only control, which makes this one of the easiest games in the collection to hand to a child.
Playing the small board well
On the 3 by 3 board, careful play from both sides usually ends in a draw. So the game is mostly about not making mistakes. Before every move, check whether the computer has two in a line with the third square empty. If it does, block it. Then check the same for yourself, since a winning move should never be missed.
The centre square is part of more lines than any other, so it is a strong first move when you start. The corners come next. When the computer starts, think about how to stop it building two lines at once.
Playing the large board well
The 5 by 5 board needs four in a row, and that changes things. There is more space, more lines and more chances for both sides to build. The best plan is to create two threats at once, so that the computer can only block one. Look for crossing lines where a single cross helps both.
Blocking still matters, and it gets harder because a line of four takes longer to see coming. When the computer has two or three in a line with open squares at the ends, deal with it early.
Why the series format helps
A single game of noughts and crosses is over in seconds. Playing a best of five, with turns to start, gives each round a bit more weight and makes the result feel earned. It is a good way to compare the two board sizes too.
Good for all ages
Noughts & Crosses in Games by Zaweba is a gentle introduction to playing against the computer. Esc pauses, F1 brings back the rules, and your series wins are counted on the game's tile in the library. When a younger player has mastered it, Drop Four and Dots & Boxes on the same shelf are natural next steps.
