Dots and Boxes Strategy: How to Win More Games
Simple Dots and Boxes strategy that works: never give the third side, count the chains, and use the all-but-two trick. With pictures and a worked example.
November 4, 2026
Porch Duels · Classic games for two
Classic games for two, right on the porch
Pull up a chair and play a friend, a grandchild or the computer. Six games you already know, with big boards and no clock.
Get it on Google PlayFree on Android, coming soon to iPhone and iPad
Made to be easy on you
No timers
Take all the time you need. Nothing counts down, and nobody rushes your move.
Big, clear boards
Large pieces and big buttons. One player is orange circles, the other blue diamonds, so you can tell them apart by shape too.
Play together three ways
Share one phone across the table, play the computer at three levels, or play online with a friend on their own phone.
Fewer ads
Never during a game and none in your first three games. After that, at most one short ad every three games. Remove them with one small payment.
A look inside
Six classic games in one app Play the computer at three levels 
Two players on one phone
Games included
- Four in a Row. Drop pieces into the stand. Line up four first.
- Checkers. American rules on an 8 × 8 board. Jumps are required, and kings move both ways.
- Reversi. Trap your opponent’s pieces between yours to flip them to your color.
- Mancala. Sow seeds around the board and gather the most in your store.
- Dots and Boxes. Draw lines between dots. Close a box to claim it and go again.
- Five in a Row. Five in a row on a 9 × 9 board, or the quick three-in-a-row game on 3 × 3.
Every game has rules with pictures, so you can learn it in a minute. Made a mistake? Undo it. Sitting across the table? Tap Flip top and the other player's name and score turn to face them.
On Android, you can also see how many games you've won against the computer on a Google Play Games leaderboard, and collect achievements. Signing in is up to you.
How online play works
- Tap Play online and pick a game. You get a 6-digit room code.
- Send the code to your friend. They open Porch Duels on their own phone, tap Play online and type it in.
- Play. Each of you sees the board from your own side.
You only play people you invite. There are no strangers and no chat, and nicknames come from a short list, so nobody types a real name. If your friend loses their connection, the game shows a countdown and waits. If they don't come back in time, the computer plays for them until they return.