Dots and Boxes Rules - How to Play
Dots and Boxes is a two-player line game. Players take turns drawing edges between dots, claim every box they close, and keep moving after each claim until the board is fully scored.
The grid
The board is a grid of dots that form empty square boxes. A game with size n has n×n boxes and (n+1)×(n+1) dots. On FreePlayBase you can play 4×4, 5×5, or 6×6 boxes against AI or on one device; online rooms use a 5×5 box grid.
How a turn works
- Choose any undrawn edge between two neighboring dots, horizontal or vertical.
- Draw that single edge to complete the action.
- If the new edge is not the fourth side of any box, the turn ends and the opponent plays.
- If the new edge closes one or two boxes, you claim those boxes, add them to your score, and move again immediately.
You may not redraw an edge that is already present, and you may not skip your turn while legal edges remain.
Claiming boxes and chains
A box is claimed only when its four sides are all drawn. The player who draws the closing side owns that box. One edge can close two boxes at once; both boxes count for that player, and that player still keeps the turn.
Because a claim grants another move, a player may finish several boxes in a row. That sequence continues until a move claims no new box.
Winning and draws
The game ends when every box on the grid has been claimed. The player with more boxes wins. If both scores are equal, the game is a draw. There is no separate sudden-death after the last box; the final score decides the result.
Dots and Boxes rules FAQ
- Do I get another turn after closing a box?
- Yes. Closing one or more boxes with your edge lets you draw again immediately. The turn ends only when a move does not claim a box.
- Can one line close two boxes?
- Yes. A shared edge between two boxes can finish both at once. You score both boxes and keep the turn.
- Which grid sizes are available here?
- Solo and same-device games can use 4×4, 5×5, or 6×6 boxes. Online friend rooms use a 5×5 box grid.
- When is the game a draw?
- The game is drawn when every box is claimed and both players have the same number of boxes.
- Must I take every box that is available?
- The rules require only that you draw one legal edge on your turn. Whether you should take an available box is a strategy choice, not a separate rule.
Try the rules on a live board
Start a short 4×4 game and watch how a fourth side both scores and returns the turn to you. Then open the strategy guide for chain control and safe early lines.
Know the legal moves? Read Dots and Boxes strategy →