Ultimate Tic-Tac-Toe

How to play

The board is a big 3×3 grid made of nine small tic-tac-toe boards. X moves first and players take turns placing their mark in a small board. The square you choose inside a small board sends your opponent to the small board in the same position on the big grid — play in the top-right square and they must play in the top-right board. If that board is already won or full, they may play in any open board. Get three in a row in a small board to win it and claim it with a big X or O. Win three small boards in a row — across, down or diagonally — to win the game. If every board is decided and nobody has a line, the game is a draw. Against the computer you play X; every win adds to your win streak for that difficulty, and a loss or draw ends it.

Tips

• Think about where you send your opponent, not just where you play: a move that wins you a square can hand them a whole board.
• Avoid sending your opponent to a board where they already have two in a row.
• Sending your opponent to a board that is won or full lets them play anywhere — usually a gift.
• The centre board is part of four winning lines, so it is the most valuable one to win.
• Sometimes the best move is in a board you don't care about, just to keep your opponent away from the boards that matter.