Is tic tac toe always a draw?

With perfect play from both sides, yes. The first player can force at least a draw, and so can the second—every win comes from an opponent stepping out of the correct line.

What is the best first move?

The centre square. It is part of four of the eight winning lines, more than any corner or edge. A corner opening is the higher-variance alternative that punishes weak replies faster.

How do I win on easy difficulty?

Open in a corner and build a fork—two winning threats at once. Easy opponents block visible threats but do not look ahead, so they will let the double threat appear.

Easy Tic Tac Toe

Easy

Relaxing tic tac toe against a beginner-friendly opponent. Great for kids or a quick warm-up before harder levels.

Time0:00

Difficulty

How to play

Tap a square to place your mark. In vs Computer mode you play as X. In 2 players mode, X and O alternate on the same device.

Press keys 1–9 to play the matching square (top-left is 1).

Easy tic tac toe tips

Easy mode: a computer that makes mistakes

Easy tic tac toe is the right place to start if you are learning the board. The opponent checks for an immediate win and blocks an immediate loss, but it does not look two moves ahead. That means it will happily hand you a fork you can convert into two threats at once.

Use easy mode to practise the opening. Take a corner first, then watch what the computer does in the centre. If it answers a corner with an edge, you can build a fork and win in four moves without the computer ever seeing it coming.

Because the opponent is forgiving, easy games rarely end in a draw. That makes this difficulty a good warm-up before you move up, and a comfortable option for younger players who want a win they earned rather than a game they lost to perfect play.

Difficulty levels

Tic tac toe home
Easy (this page)
Medium
Hard

Related games

Try Connect Four for a four-in-a-row challenge with a larger board, or 2048 when you want a solo number puzzle instead of a head-to-head match.

Frequently asked questions

Is tic tac toe always a draw?: With perfect play from both sides, yes. The first player can force at least a draw, and so can the second—every win comes from an opponent stepping out of the correct line.
What is the best first move?: The centre square. It is part of four of the eight winning lines, more than any corner or edge. A corner opening is the higher-variance alternative that punishes weak replies faster.
How do I win on easy difficulty?: Open in a corner and build a fork—two winning threats at once. Easy opponents block visible threats but do not look ahead, so they will let the double threat appear.