Tic-Tac-Toe

8 Strategies to Win Every Game

***

By Puzzleland
Copyright © Puzzleland, 2016
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Table of Contents
Introduction
About Puzzleland
What to Expect From This Book
1.When You Play First
1.1 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in an edge
1.2 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in a Corner
1.3 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in the Center
1.4 Can you Win if You Put Your First X in the Center?
1.5 Why you Should Not Put Your First X in an Edge
2.When Your Opponent Plays First
2.1 If Opponent Puts First O in a Corner
2.2 If Opponent Puts his First O in an Edge
2.3 If your Opponent Puts the First O in the Center
Play Online Right Now!
Conclusion
Eight Tic-Tac-Toe Strategies: Table Summary
Get the Tables in Printable PDF
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Introduction
Tic-Tac-Toe, also known as "Noughts and Crosses", is a fun game that you
can play anywhere and anytime.
Tic Tac Toe is a “solved” game, meaning that there are mathematically
proven strategies which will give you the best results for each game.
If both players follow the optimal strategy they will always tie. However, if
you play against an opponent who doesn't know these strategies, you can win
whenever they make a mistake.
So if you know the optimal strategies, you can’t lose. If your opponent also
knows the optimal strategies, you can’t win. This is why it is called a “zero
sum” game. If both players are playing at their best, the game will end in a
tie.
However, few people are familiar with the optimal Tic-Tac-Toe strategies.
In this book we explain 8 optimal strategies that will make you a Tic-Tac-Toe
Master.
Spend less than an hour to learn them and never lose another game of
Tic-Tac-Toe for the rest of your life!
About Puzzleland
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Other Books by Puzzleland
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A Complete Workout with 50+ Memory Exercises & Games to Improve Memory

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Let’s get started!
What to Expect From This Book
Scope of this book
The scope of this book is not to present the full range of all possible
combinations in a game of Tic-Tac-Toe. We have analysed all these
combinations for you, and in this book we present the 8 best strategies to
never losing a game.
Let us repeat that. With these 8 strategies, you will never, ever, lose another
game of Tic-Tac-Toe from this moment and for the rest of your life.
You can only win or force a draw every time you play, even if your
competitor is a novice, an advanced or an experienced player.
Even if your opponent knows and applies the exact same strategies, you can
not lose. The game would end in a draw every time.

Are these strategies easy to learn and apply?

Yes!
There are 8 mini chapters in this book, presenting 8 simple moves that will
help you win the game - or force a draw, if winning is not possible.
Learn all of them and become a Master in Tic-Tac-Toe!
There are illustrations and step-by-step explanations in every chapter, making
the lessons so easy that even kids can learn them!

To whom this book is addressed

This book is addressed to novice, intermediate and advanced players of Tic-
Tac-Toe who wish to learn the best strategies in how to never lose a game.

What to expect after learning these strategies

If you learn and start applying these 8 strategies, we guarantee that you will
never lose another game of Tic-Tac-Toe, ever!
If you play with inexperienced people, in a game of a single round, you will
win or force a draw. In a game of multiple rounds, you will be the winner.
If you play with experienced players who either know these strategies well or
can predict and block your moves, then we guarantee that you will never lose.
You want proof? Play Tic-Tac-Toe online against the computer and use these
strategies. You just CAN’T LOSE!

Settings for your better reading experience

For better reading experience, please adjust the reading settings of your
Kindle device or Cloud Reader with the Aa button:
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2st or 3nd font size

1.When You Play First
When you play first you have the following options:
1.Putting your first X in a corner,
2.Putting your first X in the center,
3.Putting your first X in an edge.

In the following chapters we will analyse why the smartest moves are the first
two, while you should avoid the third one.
Let’s assume that you, player 1, is always X.
Your opponent, player 2, is always O.
1.1 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in an edge
In this scenario, you put your first X in a corner (any corner) and your
opponent chooses to put his first O in an edge (any edge).
Best Strategy: Put your second X in the center .
Your opponent will see that you have two X’s in a row and will block you.
Put your third X in line with your other two X’s.
Now your opponent can block only one line.
You will automatically win with your other line.
1.2 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in a Corner
In this scenario, after you put your first X in a corner (any corner), your
opponent puts his first O in another corner (any corner).
You can easily win the game.
Best Strategy: Put your second X in a free corner (any free corner).
Your opponent will now block your line.
Of course, you will also block his line.
Now your opponent will block one of your two lines.
And you will win with your other line.
1.3 Your First X in a Corner, Opponent’s First O in the Center
In this scenario, you put your first X in a corner and your opponent responds
by putting his first O in the center.
For your second X, there are only two strategies that can win you the game:
1.Putting your second X in the opposite corner (with the O in the middle.)
2.Putting your second X in an edge that does not touch the first X.
Everything else will result in a draw.

Putting your second X in an edge (as shown in the picture) gives you about
the same probability of winning as putting it in the corner.
Here we will only analyse the case when you put your second X in the corner
because it is the simplest strategy, and it is easier for you to remember what
happens next:
If your opponent puts his second O in any corner, you will win the game.
If he puts his second O in any edge, the game will be a draw.
Plus, your opponent is more likely to choose a corner for his next move.
So, here is what will happen in this case:
Put your second X in the opposite corner.
Your opponent chooses a corner (any corner) for his second O.
Note that, if he chooses an edge, then the game will end in a draw.
You use your third X to block him AND create two non-blocked lines that
can win you the game.
Your opponent can only block one line.
And you are the winner!
1.4 Can you Win if You Put Your First X in the Center?
If you put your first X in the center, you can only win if your opponent puts
his first O in an edge.
If he puts his first O in a corner, the game will be a draw.
Let’s see in the first case, how you can easily win the game if you put your
first X in the center, and your opponent puts his first O in an edge (any edge).
Best Strategy: Put your second X in a corner. Any corner.
Your opponent will now block your line.
And you can now put your third X in the corner that creates two non-blocked
lines.
The opponent can only block one…
.. and you are the winner!
1.5 Why you Should Not Put Your First X in an Edge
Putting your first X in an edge will only put you at disadvantage.
Based on all possible combinations, (and unless your competitor is a novice
who makes random moves), the game will likely end in a draw. Moreover, if
you make a mistake, you give your opponent a chance to win (for example,
see Chapter 2.2).
There are several combinations that can either lead to a draw, either to your
winning or losing. Trying to memorize them all would be more time-
consuming and would increase the risk of being confused and eventually,
losing.
So if you play first, avoid putting your first X in an edge. Choosing a corner
or the center are safer options.
2.When Your Opponent Plays First
For every first move your opponent makes, there is an optimal strategy for
defense.
In the following chapters we will see what this optimal strategy is, if your
opponent:
1. puts his first O in a corner,
2. puts his first O in an edge,
3. puts his first O in the center.
2.1 If Opponent Puts First O in a Corner
If your opponent starts by putting his first O in the corner,
Do NOT put your first X in an edge, because you give your opponent a
chance to win using the strategy described in Chapter 1.1.
Do NOT put your first X in a corner, because you give your opponent the
chance to win using the strategy described in Chapter 1.2.
PUT your first X in the center. You can not win the game but you can force
a draw.
Now pay attention to your opponent’s second move.

2.1.1 If the second O is in the nearest edges or corners (positions “1”)

If your opponent puts his second O in the corners or edges near the first O,
just block his line and continue playing. The game will be a draw.

2.1.2 If the second O is in the opposite corner (position “2”)

In Chapter 1.3 we analysed how the second player might lose the game if the
first player makes his second move in position 2 (corner opposite to the first
O).
Defense strategy: Put your second X in an edge (any edge) and the game
will end in draw. If you put your second X in a corner, YOU WILL LOSE.
2.1.3 If the second O is in an opposite edge (positions “3”)

Now let’s see in detail what might happen in this case, where your opponent
puts his second O in an edge opposite to the first O.
If you make a mistake and put your second X in the wrong corner (down
right), then your opponent will then create two non-blocked lines and he will
win the game.
If you put your second X in the right corner (the one that blocks the two
potential lines of your opponent) then the game will end in a draw.

Therefore, the correct move is to put your second X in the corner that blocks
the two potential O lines.
Conclusion:
If your opponent puts his first O in a corner, put your first X in the center.
Then:
If your opponent puts his second O in a corner, put your second X in an edge.
If your opponent puts his second O in an edge, put your second X in the
corner that blocks the two O’s.
2.2 If Opponent Puts his First O in an Edge
If your opponent puts his first O in an edge, your best strategy would be to
put your first X in a corner next to the O.

Now your opponent is very likely to make a poorly considered move,

resulting in you winning the game.
If your opponent’s moves are well thought-out, then you can only force a
draw. But you have to be careful because there is also a chance that you lose
the game. To avoid this, just put your second X in the center – unless you
need to block your opponent.
Let’s see three versions of this game.
2.2.1 Version A: Opponent puts his second O in the center

It is very likely that your opponent will put his second O in the center.
Of course you will block him.
Now the critical moment:
If your opponent, for his next move, chooses the corner next to his first O,
then you will win the game because your third X will create two non-blocked
lines.
BUT, if your opponent, for his next move, chooses the opposite corner, then
you can only block him and the game will end in a draw.
2.2.2 Version B: Opponent puts his second O in the opposite edge

In this case, you will win the game.

Of course, your next move will be to block your opponent.
Then your opponent will block you.
Then you will block your opponent again.
Observe the two non-blocked lines that you have created!
Your opponent can only block one of your two lines.
And you win!
2.2.3 Version C: Opponent puts his second O in another edge

This is a smart tactic that can lead to a victory for your opponent. But you can
block this tactic with your second X. Let’s see how.
Your opponent chooses another edge for his second O.
And now you might be tempted to put your second X in a free corner.
Which was a mistake, because now your opponent can win with two non-
blocked lines!

Conclusion: Prevent this, by putting your second X in the center – unless of

course you need to block your opponent. The game will be a draw.
2.3 If your Opponent Puts the First O in the Center
If your opponent puts his first O in the center, put your first X in a corner.
You will be able to easily block all your opponent’s moves and force a draw.
Play Online Right Now!
A good way to practice the strategies of this book is to play Tic-Tac-Toe
online, against a computer.
For example, visit
http://playtictactoe.org/
or http://www.factmonster.com/games/tictactoe.html
and apply everything you have learned. Use the tables at the end of this book
for your convenience.
Start playing right now and discover that you are unbeatable!!!
Enjoy your new super powers in Tic-Tac-Toe!
Conclusion
Mastering the game of Tic-Tac-Toe does not require luck or a high IQ. You
don’t even have to spend hours studying all possible combinations.
All you have to do, is to learn the 8 simple strategies presented in this book.
For your convenience, these strategies are summarized in the tables on the
next page.
Keep these tables handy for your future reference and remember to practice
those strategies often so you can memorize them and apply them in every
game.
This will be the big secret behind your phenomenal success in Tic-Tac-Toe
that will impress your co-players and friends!
Eight Tic-Tac-Toe Strategies: Table Summary
Get the Tables in Printable PDF
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