Tic-tac-toe, sometimes called noughts and crosses, is a two-player placement game where X and O marks compete to align three symbols on a three-by-three grid. Despite its simplicity, the pastime illustrates combinatorial search, optimal strategy, and inevitable stalemate when both sides play perfectly.
The interactive engine presents nine equal squares. You click an empty cell to place your mark; the opposing side is either a second person or a deterministic, unbeaten algorithm that chooses its optimal counter-move. Each turn recalculates victory patterns, signals draws, and—even mid-game—encodes the full position inside a shareable URL.
Use the tool to settle brief challenges, introduce children to basic game theory, or sharpen opening tactics between meetings. Because every calculation runs locally and no session data leaves your browser, you can bookmark or send positions without exposing personal information.
Follow these steps to start a round and record or replay positions.
The algorithm evaluates every legal continuation, ensuring it never loses and usually forces a draw against perfect play.
No. The minimalist design encourages forward play; use the reset button if you wish to restart the round.
Yes. After the initial page load, all logic executes within your browser, so subsequent play requires no network connection.
No data ever leaves your device; the current board position lives only in the link you optionally share.
When all nine squares fill without a winner, the engine announces a draw and offers an immediate restart.