Tic tac toe, also called noughts and crosses, is a two-player pencil-and-paper game that can be played by young children. Though strategy can be used, it isn’t necessary for young children to have fun. The goal of the game is to get three X’s or O’s in a row before your opponent does. The three marks may be placed in the diagram vertically, horizontally, or diagonally through the middle square of the diagram.

Preparing the Game of Tic Tac Toe
The game of tic tac toe is played on a simple playing area drawn on paper. Two parallel lines are drawn vertically, and two horizontal lines are draw across them, dividing them in thirds, and creating a display with a box in the middle and eight partial boxes around the center with three columns and three rows.

Playing Tic Tac Toe
The players may flip a coin or play rock, paper, scissors to determine who gets to choose their mark. Traditionally, X goes first. Players take turns making their mark in a an empty square of their choice. A move can be used to advance a player’s own cause of getting three in a row or to block one’s opponent from attaining three in a row.

Scoring Tic Tac Toe
If one player succeeds in getting three marks in a row, he or she wins. Winning is sometimes accompanied by the comment or cry, “Tic tac toe: three in a row!” If no player succeeds in getting three of their marks in a row, the game is a draw, often referred to as a cat’s game.

Variations on Tic Tac Toe
The “board” games Connect Four® and Pente® are examples of variants on tic tac toe. There are also online versions, which vary in difficulty, and some of which allow you to choose a level.