Wild tic-tac-toe explained

Wild tic-tac-toe is an impartial game similar to tic-tac-toe. However, in this game players can choose to place either X or O on each move.^{[1] [2]} This game can also be played in its misere form where if a player creates a three-in-a-row of marks, that player loses the game.^{[3] [5]} The player who completes a straight or diagonal line of 3 X's or 3 O’s wins.^[6] In this version of the game, the player which makes the first move can always win.^[7]

Misere game

This game is exactly like the regular version of the game except the player who creates a line of any three marks (Xs or Os) in a row loses the game.

The second player can force a draw by playing a mark opposite of the opponent's mark and choosing X if the opponent chose O (or vice versa).

See also

• Tic-tac-toe variants

References

1. Web site: Puzzles in Education - Wild Tic-Tac-Toe. puzzles.com. 2016-11-29.
2. Book: BAUMANN. BASIC Game Plans: Computer Games and Puzzles Programmed in BASIC. 2013-06-29. Springer Science & Business Media. 9781475739183. en.
3. Book: Mendelson, Elliott . Introducing Game Theory and its Applications . January 2016. CRC Press. 9781482285871. en.
4. Book: Epstein, Richard A.. The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic. 2012-12-28. Academic Press. 9780123978707. en.

   Regular game

   Wild tic-tac-toe is played on a 3-by-3 board by two players, who take turns placing an X or an O on any unoccupied square.^[3]

5. Web site: Some Games for Math Circles. Lee. Carl. November 2022. December 14, 2016.
6. Web site: Variations of Tic Tac Toe.
7. Book: Epstein, Richard A.. The Theory of Gambling and Statistical Logic, Revised Edition. 2014-06-28. Gulf Professional Publishing. 9780080571843. en.