Game?

[mafief]

I’ve been playing this game with my husband.


He said he didn’t grow up playing it. So, now I’m trying to figure out who else played and what you called it.

(Ps, I know this isn’t how to gather proper statistically relevant data, but let’s just go with it.)

Comments

[smallhobbit]

I used to play it at school, hadn't thought about it for years until you mentioned it. According to google it's called 'dots and boxes' but I don't think that's the name we used.

[mafief]

Oh, cool. I call it dots, but other's have offered different names like lines and boxes.

I wonder how long it's been around. Do you think your mom played it at school?

[smallhobbit]

I'll try to remember to ask her when I see her this week.

[smallhobbit]

I was playing dots and boxes today with a Maths Professor from Imperial College (big London science uni) who used to be one of the best players in the world. Needless to say, he beat me.

[mafief]

Oh! That’s awesome! And I’m super jealous.
I think there is a strategy for it, so I’m curious what he does. Hmm.... now I’ll have to look up competitive dot groups. :)

[smallhobbit]

Yes, there's definitely a strategy. And it depends on the number of dots and who goes first - which differs depending on whether there's an odd or even number of links. He showed me some of the tricks, but you need to practice to be able to recognise the way the blocks of potential squares are being formed. It was fascinating.

[mafief]

Ok, I know what you are talking about because I see them when I play the game. I make certain formations to hide moves for later on. This annoys my poor husband. Odds are there are names to them (like in chess).