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4x4 Tic Tac Toe

Four in a row on a 16-square board. Play the bot or a friend — free, no sign-up.

Opponent
Difficulty
YouX · moves first
BotO · Medium

Your move

How to play 4×4 tic tac toe

The rules are the classic ones on a bigger grid. X moves first, players take turns, and the first to get four in a row — across, down or diagonally — wins. If all 16 squares fill up with no line, it's a draw.

That four-in-a-row rule makes 4×4 tight. There are only 10 winning lines: the four rows, the four columns and the two long diagonals. Each one spans the whole board, so a single mark from your opponent kills a line for good.

Tips

  • The corners and the four centre squares each sit on three winning lines; the other eight squares sit on only two. Start there.
  • Count live lines, not marks. A line with a mark from each player is dead for both of you, so the game goes to whoever keeps more lines alive.
  • With perfect play 4×4 is a draw, so a careful opponent only loses to a double threat: two lines that each need one more mark.

What's known about 4×4, 5×5 and 6×6 is in our guide Is tic tac toe solved? For a game that never fills up, switch on Fade mode: on 4×4 each player keeps five marks and the oldest vanishes.

Questions people ask

How many in a row do you need to win 4x4 tic tac toe?

Four. You need a complete row, column or long diagonal, which gives only 10 winning lines on the 4×4 board.

Is 4x4 tic tac toe always a draw?

With perfect play from both sides, yes: four in a row on a 4×4 board is a draw. Real games are won with a double threat — two lines that each need one more mark.

Can I play 4x4 tic tac toe against the computer?

Yes. Pick Easy, Medium or Hard above, or switch the opponent to Friend to play someone on the same device.

More ways to play

Play a friend onlineNew: create a game, send the link, and play live on two devices. CLASH — everyone moves at onceNew: tic tac toe for 2–4 players. Pick the same square as someone else and it cracks. Classic tic tac toeThree in a row on the board everyone knows. 5×5 tic tac toeFour in a row with room for traps: 28 winning lines. 6×6 tic tac toeThe big board. With perfect play, the first player wins. Infinite tic tac toeOur Fade mode on 3×3: keep three marks, lose the oldest. 2 player tic tac toePlay a friend on one screen, with Best of 3. Impossible tic tac toeA bot that plays 3×3 perfectly. Can you draw?