In the British Isles, in Europe, and in North America the pattern on the left is often drawn on paper, and the game is played by each player using a pencil to alternatively mark an "X" or an "O" in one of the squares formed by the intersecting lines.
Sometimes the pattern is drawn on the ground or in the sand on a beach. On a chalkboard or slate, chalk is used as the marking implement.
When drawn on paper, the outer boundary is usually omitted, so the pattern then looks like this:
As a "boardgame", the outside border of the pattern is maintained, and counters of different materials are used to mark the open squares. This version of the game is played in certain Middle Eastern countries.
The aim of each player is to make a row of three - either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. A number of authors have indicated that the second player can never win unless the first player makes a mistake.
Last update March 30, 2010