The classic pencil-and-paper grid game, now in real-time multiplayer. Create a room on Chitwan Arena, share the link, and race to complete boxes with 2–4 players — instantly in your browser.
Draw lines between dots to complete boxes. The player with the most boxes at the end wins.
On your turn, click any unclaimed edge between two adjacent dots. Horizontal or vertical — your choice.
If your edge closes all four sides of a box, you claim it and score a point. You also get a bonus turn!
Completing one or more boxes earns you another turn. Chain them together for big scoring runs.
When all edges are claimed the game ends. The player who owns the most boxes is the winner.
Beginners give boxes away — experts give them on purpose.
Dots & Boxes is far deeper than it first appears, and beginners give away most of their boxes without realising it. The golden rule early on is to avoid drawing the third edge of any box, because that hands your opponent a free completion on their very next move. Stick to safe edges for as long as you can.
As the board fills and safe moves run out, the game becomes about controlling chains — long runs of boxes that fall together. The expert trick is the double-cross: instead of greedily taking every box in a chain, leave the last two for your opponent by declining a bonus turn, which forces them to open the next chain for you.
Sacrificing two boxes now to win several later is how strong players flip a losing position. Watch the number of long chains on the board, because a parity rule decides who is forced to open the first big chain. Steer the game with your early safe moves so it is your opponent, not you, who has to make that first costly sacrifice.
Grab a grid and start claiming boxes in three steps.
Click "Play Dots & Boxes — Free" to create a grid and get your 4-letter room code and invite link.
Share the link for a 2 to 4 player match. Friends join with one click — no account required.
The host starts the game, the 3D dot grid appears, and players take turns drawing edges. Close a box to score a point and earn a bonus turn.
Everything you need to know before your first grid.
Yes. Dots & Boxes on Chitwan Arena is completely free with no downloads, no signup, and no ads. Create a room and share the link to play.
Dots & Boxes supports 2 to 4 players in a single room, so you can play a quick duel or a four-player scramble for boxes.
Yes. Every time you complete a box you earn a bonus turn, and you can chain several boxes together for a big scoring run.
Yes. You simply tap an edge between two dots to claim it, and the 3D grid works in any modern browser on phones, tablets, and desktops.
When every edge on the grid has been claimed the game ends, and the player who has completed the most boxes wins.