How to Never Lose at Tic Tac Toe
Take the center, build a fork, and follow the priority order — you will never lose again.
Play Tic Tac Toe
The classic 3-in-a-row, best of 5.
Tic tac toe is a solved game: if both players play perfectly, it is always a draw. That means you can never be forced to win — but you can guarantee you never lose, and you will beat anyone who makes a single mistake.
The whole strategy comes down to three things: a strong opening, spotting the “fork” (two ways to win at once), and following a fixed priority order on every move. Master them on our best-of-five Tic Tac Toe.
Open in the center or a corner
If you move first, take the center — it belongs to four of the eight winning lines, more than any other square. If the center is taken, grab a corner; corners each sit on three winning lines, versus just two for the edges.
Playing second? If your opponent took the center, take a corner. If they took a corner, take the center. This neutralizes their strongest lines and keeps the game a draw at worst.
Win by building a fork
A fork is a position where you have two separate ways to make three in a row on your next move. Just like Connect 4’s double threat, your opponent can only block one — so the other wins.
The classic fork: take two corners that share an edge with an empty center line. If your opponent ever fails to block correctly or wastes a move on an edge, you can usually set up a fork and win.
Follow the move-priority order
Run through this list top to bottom every single move and you will never lose a game of tic tac toe. It is the exact optimal strategy first described by Newell and Simon.
- 1Win: if you have two in a row with the third square open, take it.
- 2Block: if your opponent has two in a row, block the open square.
- 3Fork: create a position with two winning threats at once.
- 4Block a fork: stop your opponent from making a fork, or force them to defend elsewhere.
- 5Center: take the middle square if it is free.
- 6Opposite corner: if your opponent is in a corner, take the diagonally opposite one.
- 7Empty corner, then empty edge: fill these last.
Going first vs going second
The first player has the advantage and should always at least draw, usually by opening in a corner (which sets more traps than the center against a weak opponent). The second player’s job is purely defensive: respond correctly to the opening and block every threat, and the game ends level.
In our best-of-five match the starting player alternates each round, so learning both roles is what wins the set.
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▶ Play Tic Tac ToeFrequently asked
- Can you always win at tic tac toe?
- No — against a perfect opponent tic tac toe is always a draw. But you can guarantee you never lose, and you will win whenever your opponent makes a mistake.
- What is the best first move in tic tac toe?
- The center is the strongest single square because it sits on four of the eight winning lines. A corner is the best move for setting traps against an imperfect opponent, since corners lead to more forks.
- What is a fork in tic tac toe?
- A fork is creating two ways to win on the same move. Your opponent can only block one threat, so the other completes three in a row on your next turn.
- How do I never lose at tic tac toe?
- Follow the priority order every move: win if you can, otherwise block, then try to fork, block their fork, take the center, then the opposite corner, then any corner, then an edge. Do this and you cannot lose.