| Creating a new pencil and paper game is easier if | | | | center square of the 7-by-7 grid. Then the 'O' |
| you use an existing game as a starting point. | | | | player draws an 'O' in any empty square. The two |
| Take for example Tic Tac Toe. | | | | players continue taking turns drawing symbols, but |
| Tic Tac Toe is played on a 3-by-3 grid of squares | | | | they must play within a 4-by-4 grid defined by |
| formed by drawing two horizontal lines across | | | | their previous moves. |
| two vertical lines. Two players take turns playing, | | | | Neither player can draw a symbol in a square that |
| each drawing a symbol on an empty square on | | | | would make the area in which they are playing |
| his or her turn. One player draws an 'X', and the | | | | more than four squares wide, or more than four |
| other player draws an 'O'. The 'X' player moves | | | | squares high. And at the end of the game, the 16 |
| first. | | | | squares in a 4-by-4 grid will be filled. |
| The game is won by the first player to get three | | | | The players then each look for tic-tac-toes within |
| symbols in a row, called 'tic-tac-toe'. If neither | | | | that 4-by-4 grid. Four symbols in a row count as |
| player gets three in a row, the game ends in a | | | | two tic-tac-toes. The player with the most |
| draw. | | | | tic-tac-toes wins the game. |
| Children play Tic Tac Toe until they discover | | | | To conserve paper, this game can be converted |
| simple strategies that lead two experienced | | | | to a board game played on a checkerboard. |
| players to constantly play to a draw. Then they | | | | The 'X' player uses the dark checkers and the 'O' |
| move on to other games. | | | | player uses the light checkers. The 'X' player |
| One of the problems with the standard game of | | | | starts by placing a dark checker on one of the |
| Tic Tac Toe is the existence of a center square | | | | four squares at the center of the checkerboard. |
| through which half of the possible tic-tac-toes can | | | | The rest of the rules are the same as the pencil |
| go. Another problem is that the starting player | | | | and paper game. |
| has an unfair first-move advantage. | | | | You can change the rules to make variations of |
| So take the 3-by-3 grid, and expand it to a | | | | the game. You can allow each player to move |
| 4-by-4 grid. This eliminates the center square. | | | | one of her or his checkers before a turn once |
| Then to take some of the first-move advantage | | | | during a game. Or you can allow two tic-tac-toes |
| away from the 'X' player, play the game on a | | | | that share a checker to score an extra point. Or |
| 4-by-4 grid located somewhere within a 7-by-7 | | | | you can require that each checker played is |
| grid. (Draw six horizontal lines over six vertical | | | | adjacent to a previously played checker |
| lines.) The location of the smaller grid is | | | | horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Or the player |
| determined by the placement of the 'X's and 'O's | | | | with the least tic-tac-toes wins the game. |
| by the two players. | | | | Copyright (c) 2009 - Paul Hoemke. All Rights |
| The 'X' player starts by drawing an 'X' in the | | | | Reserved. |