Tic tac toe looks too simple to have a real strategy, but there absolutely is one. Once I learned it, I stopped losing entirely. The honest truth is that against a perfect opponent the best you can force is a draw, but most people do not play perfectly. If you follow the steps below, you will win whenever your opponent slips up and you will never lose. Here is exactly how I do it.
Take the center first
If you go first, the strongest opening move is the center square. The center is part of four possible winning lines, more than any other square, so it gives you the most ways to build a threat. Taking the center also forces your opponent to react to you instead of setting their own trap. If you cannot have the center because your opponent grabbed it, take a corner instead.
Favor the corners
After the center, corners are the most valuable squares. Each corner sits on three winning lines, while each edge sits on only two. Playing corners early sets up multiple threats at once, which is the whole key to winning. I almost never play an edge square unless I am forced to block.
Set up a fork
The fork is the move that wins games. A fork is a position where you have two ways to win on your next turn at the same time. Your opponent can only block one of them, so the other one wins. To create a fork:
- Take the center, then a corner.
- Aim to control two corners that share a line through your pieces.
- Look for a square that completes two open lines for you at once.
- Play that square and you will have two winning threats with one move.
Once you spot how to fork, you will see the chance in almost every game where your opponent makes a casual move.
Always block and always take the win
Two rules keep you from ever losing. First, if you can complete three in a row, do it immediately and win the game. Second, if your opponent has two in a row with the third square open, block it right away. These take priority over everything else, including setting up a fork. Most losses I see come from a player chasing their own plan and forgetting to block an obvious threat.
How to never lose when going second
Going second is harder, but you can still force a draw against anyone. If your opponent opens in the center, respond by taking a corner. If they open in a corner, take the center. From there, focus entirely on blocking their threats and watching for any fork they try to build. Defense first, and you will not lose.
A quick recap
Here is my whole approach in order of priority. Win if you can. Block if you must. Otherwise, set up a fork by taking the center and corners. Stick to that order and you will win against most people and never lose to anyone. The fastest way to lock it in is to play a few rounds and watch the patterns appear.
Practice against the computer
Reading the theory is one thing, but it sticks once you play it out. You can play Tic Tac Toe free online here against the computer and test the center opening and the fork trick for yourself. When you want another quick two-player style brain game, try my Connect Four game or browse the full free games library.