Printable · 2 players · 10 min
Dots and Boxes printable.
Two players, one pen each, a grid of dots. Draw lines, close boxes, steal the endgame. Our sheet has a big 11 × 12 grid — 110 boxes — so a game lasts long enough to get interesting.
Free for home and classroom use. Want all six games? Get the full Paper Games Pack.
How to play
- 01Take turns drawing one straight line between two neighbouring dots, across or down — never diagonally.
- 02If your line closes the fourth side of a box, write your initial inside it and draw another line straight away.
- 03When every box is closed, the player with the most boxes wins.
LV.01 Strategy
Play it better.
- Never draw the third side of a box unless you have no choice — it hands your opponent a free box.
- Late in the game the board splits into long chains. The player forced to open the first long chain usually loses.
- The double-cross: when you take a chain, leave the last two boxes for your opponent so they must open the next chain for you.
- Count chains early. If the number of long chains plus the dots is in your favour, play safe and wait.
LV.02 FAQ
Dots and Boxes, answered.
Q1How big is the Dots and Boxes grid?
11 dots across by 12 down, which makes 110 boxes. That's big enough for a real middle game; for a quick round, play on just the top half.
Q2Can I play Dots and Boxes with more than two players?
Yes. Write a different initial for each player and take turns in a circle. The rules don't change.
Q3Letter or A4?
Pick the size of paper in your printer — both versions print at 100% scale with nothing cut off.
LV.03 More
