Tic Tac Toe Tactics 3
You're playing tic tac toe with an opponent who is X while you are O .
The initial gameplay is as shown below:
Assuming that your opponent will play optimally from now on, where must you place your next mark in order to obtain a winning position?
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9 solutions
Middle tile works too, as it creates two threats, middle column and middle row.The opponent cannot block both threats and you win the game.
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If you place your "O" mark in the middle tile the opponent will place his "X" mark in the top right to block you. You then would place an "O" mark in either the top left or bottom right corners (either one it doesn't matter). What everyone is forgetting is that you think the opponent is going to try to "block" your next move; however, when the opponent places his "X" in the opposite corner from your last move to "block you" he will effectively win the match by connecting 3 of his "Xs" before you do.
If you're still stuck thinking middle is the best move then please draw the sequence out and hopefully you'll notice by selecting the middle you've guaranteed the opponents victory. Bottom line: Selecting the middle tile will lose you the match 100% of the time.
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What if you put your O in top right corner?
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@Rasmus Svarstad – In that case, your opponent would place his "X" in the middle tile to block you, and next you would have to place your "O" in either the left side or the lower side to block him. But in that case he would have the other option that you didn't choose to place his "X" and win.
NO, because when you play your O in the middle, he will have to block you , as you said, and place his X in the TOP RIGHT corner, but this move will give him a double opportunity : -2 X's on the very top horizontal line -2 X's on the very right vertical line So when you place your O either in the bottom right corner or top left corner to block him because otherwise he will win, YOU ARE NOT WINNING with this move, then he can just place his X where you didn't play your O
The given answer is perfectly alright! I think you are assuming you are 'X'! Actually you are 'O', if you are 'O' then there is no other option then the strategy in the answer is given.
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O can place middle and win in the next two moves....
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@Dominic Parnell – How? Can you please explain?
@Dominic Parnell – Yes, but only if the opponent plays bad moves. Not if the opponent is playing optimally, which the problem says he is. He will try to win himself, and he will succeed.
That's true but the upper left/below right corner would be the optimum choice and provides a higher chance of winning.
How about the upper right corner, because it would create 2 threats and you could win?
Middle tile works too
The middle til;e works... He has to chase you to keep you from winning... but you win!
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There is no way a middle placement for o results in a win for o
Incorrect. If you put it in the middle he will place one on the top right and win
If you put your o in the middle tile, your opponent would put his next x in the upper right, because not doing so would cost him the match Then your next turn you put an o in the top right, now you have 2 ways to win, either straight down the left side, or diagonally across from left to right, so which ever he chooses to block, you still have a way to win, it works the same as the top left or bottom right answer does
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Sorry Hunter Schneider, but if you put your "o" in the bottom right your opponent, that already have one "x" on upper right and other in the upper middle, puts another "x" in the upper left, winning the game
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Bottom right would lose the game... However if you place in the center he would place an x in the upper right, then you would place in the lower right to stop his win and giving you two ways to win, horizontal bottom or diagonally and he can only block one.
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@Stacey Twine – But then the next move after you block in the bottom right, is for X to go in the top left, winning the game for your opponent.
Wrong I had a solid win by using the middle tile
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Same here. Once you put your O in the middle tile, you gain two paths to win, only one of which can be blocked.
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Once you play middle X blocks in the top right and then has 2 ways to win which you can't block.
I thought that too. It would give him a wining position.
Incorrect,
Placing in lower middle place can make win
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Placing in the lower middle or left middle tiles both result in a tie
There is another chance of not losing, choosing middle column and lower row or middle row and left column. you will force the "enemy" to place the x next to yours to stop you. it will be a tie.
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That's what I thought as well, but that will just keep you from losing. It won't allow you to win. The upper left corner or lower right corner could still give you a win. I wasn't even thinking that because in any game where both players play rationally from start to end, no one will win.
How are most of you people so idiotic. This question is broken, you cant win with these tiles unless your opponent is as idiotic as some of the people that have responded here.
Middle tile also works. He blocks the diagonal. You then put in in the upper left corner or lose right corner. Then he blocks your column win. You then put in a diagonal for the win🔥
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The opponent will win first while blocking your win
Any tile would cause a threat, therefore this question is redundant.
you could also do the middle tile because no matter what you have won
Middle works. If you put it in the middle they will block top right. So you put top left or bottom right and you win.
Why does't leftside work? He needs to block you thus giving you the chance to block his fork
If you put it in the upper right corner, you create two potential spots to make your next move. Assuming classic rules or tic-tac-toe, your opponent would only have one move before its your turn. If you play the upper right corner, and he plays the lower right, you still have the upper left corner to win the game. And vice versa. If he plays the upper left, you have the bottom right corner to win also
If you put it in the middle they will block it in the upper left corner leaving you to place it in the upper right hand corner. After that they will either block you in the middle right side of the bottom left corner. Leaving them with a L either way.
It's upper left or lower right. If you place in either of those then x is playing defensive until the end. It's assured victory. e.g upper left, then lower right, then middle. X has to block threat each time, and O wins every time as a result.
Middle tile doesn't work. X must block top right. This creates a fork; X can win with top left or bottom right. You can't block both
No moves by O In this situation create a win. At best all you can achieve is s draw.
Poor question.
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No. As explained in the answer, top left and bottom right create a win for O.
I still say middle tile is best because when they block it simply put an O in the bottom right and no matter what you will win diagonally or across the bottom
It's easy to force a win. Place upper left or lower right. They will be forced to stop you, and then you place an O in the middle. This makes you have two opportunities to win and they can only place one X.
If u put a x in the upper right corner then u have 2 ways to win and they can only block one so u are going to win
ANY 0 move at this point can result in "Cat's Game" which is what a game with no winner is called. The problem clearly states - guarantee a win... And that is not possible in ANY properly played (by both sides) game of Tic-Tac-Toe. This is a poor example for a logic puzzle. Tic-Tac-Toe is a numbers game not logic.
When the game is played logically by both sides it will always end in Cat's Game. Hence the reason it is child's play. When two people play it to prevent the other from winning it will always result in Cat's Game.
The first fact of the game is always start in a corner. But even then you are only guaranteed to NOT lose... a Cat's Game is neither a win or a loss.
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Scratch that... Upper left and lower right are the only two moves to secure a win.
The top right will create two threats...the completion at the bottom right, and the completion at the top left....it's infallible...
They are all wrong T _ T
No it would be middle. If u put it in the middle, he'll block the win and put it in the top right corner. Now u can put it in the top left or bottom right. He can only block one way, but u win the other way. Thats y i picked middle
If you put it in the upper right hand corner then it would make them block it either in the upper left corner or bottom right corner and then you can just win in the opposite corner
That shouldn't work though, because the opponents next turn will most likely then be to go middle, creating another fork.
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The opponent cannot create a fork if you go in the top left because then you would have a two-in-a-row. If they tried to play in the middle, they would create a fork. But then you would just play in the middle-left and win.
Middle tile yields a block in upper right. Then I place upper left corner which creates a win as the opponent cannot block the dual win scenarios within one move.
If I don't choose upper right corner, the opponent is gonna choose it next, and automatically have 2 diferente ways of winning. Or am I crazy?
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This is late, but the opponent can't do that if you create a two-in-a-row. Then your opponent has to block you.
Middle tile is the only for sure winning and the rest times might loose
FFS I thought I was X.
Can any one picturise its solutions.
Its gone be a tie not a win ,youre wrong...upper left or lower right it will end in a tie.
middle tile creates a faster win than top left or bottom right
it's actually a draw since X plays optimally
wrong! I can still win by the middle tile
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No, you can't. Middle tile forces X to block you and gain 2 ways to win.
Or you could place an X on the upper right and win in only 2 more moves, rather than the series of moves when following the above method.
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That would be an odd move considering you are playing O
This is incorrect the other player will lose in this scenario. All you have to do is put an x in either the Middle or upper right corner after seeing what the other player moves. After that you will win easily. You guys are all wrong.
The middle tile is the most optimal .. the author of this question clearly isn't great at tic tac toe
in the upper-left corner or in the lower-right corner the another person could block it too
Middle works too with the same strategy but the a different order
If the opponent plays optimaly he would play middle tile. So as a result you would have to go upper right to stop him.
Middle tile doesn't work because the opponent can win before you by playing upper left or lower right, depending on what you play as your third move
Middle workes
4th option (Middle tile) is a another right answer ✌✌👍 Bro......!!!!
U can also use the middle square
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I'm sorry, it won't work cause if you put the O there, the other player would put X in the top-right corner and he will have two ways to win.
If you mark the middle tile, the opponent would have to mark upper right to stop you. Then you mark upper left or lower right, and you have a fork.
You should place it in mid. Opponent marks upper right. You mark upper left or lower right. Then you win- left-mid or bottom-mid. They can't block both...
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No because when he places his first X to block your diagonal from bottom left corner to upper right, it will give him 2 opportunities BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN GET ONE, therefore, you HAVE to block one of his moves but he will win by using the other.
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That makes so much sense thanks :) I didn't understand any of the other explanations
Then y the correct answer is upper right corner
Middle tile works
odds are this game will end in a tie. no matter what you do a decent opponent will close you down and the end result will be a tie.
If O plays perfectly from here (placing a mark in the top left or lower right corner) he will win regardless of X's response, no matter how decent of an opponent he may be.
but in this case you opponent did already make a mistake ...
Brandon, Tom James is not correct. If you place, let's go with top left, if you place an O in the top left, then X blocks the middle left, then you put an O in the middle, then O has won. Because when you look at that, then you can place one in the bottom right or the top right, so X can only choose between one of those and you've won
The solution given is correct. The middle tile won't work because your opponent has the chance to win BEFORE you.
Could you explain number two in more detail because if you place the O inside of the middle tile if the opponent did not put his inside the upper right then you would have an automatic win, but if he did you could put it inside the upper left after you put it in the middle giving you two ways to win, bottom right or middle left.
4th option (Middle tile) is a another right answer ✌✌👍 Bro......!!!!
Remember, you are O. I got confused and thought i was X big brain move
I agree, with a decent opponent, it is not possible to win whatever you do.
No they have not made a mistake. Tom James is correct. Please try to be a bit brighter before commenting and go over everything one more time.
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Are you dumb or something? Telling other people to be brighter and talking bullshit ... Of course TicTacToe usually allways ends in a tie, but that has nothing to do with this problem! In this problem there is already a given situation and the situation will always end in a win for O if the player knows what he is doing, no matter what X does. If you don't belive that, show me a move of X where he can still win, if O goes upper-left or lower-right. Though every decently intelligent being would realize that there is no possible move. X can always win. Take a look at this: http://pastebin.com/PJmsiCCm
What kind of tic-tac-toe player choses those cells after two consecutive turns?
the correct answer is the middle, ie-centre
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Top left, bottom right, and center - ALL guarantee a win for O if X plays logically
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Middle - your opponent will be forced to block it by putting an X in the top right corner, creating a fork that makes you lose
Bottom right - works
Top left - works
You guys are Kidding. Next play has to be the center So you force the oponent to play right top and then the next can be left top or right bottom. Watch it again
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No if you do middle the opponent will block and make a fork, therefore you will lose the game
Are you talking about the x or 0
X in center tile forces O to go above or Rt thus allowing X to win
I don't listen the game name.
For O to win the game his next move has to be the centre tile
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everyone says this, it is wrong. If you do middle the opponent will be forced to block and that will make a fork, then you lose.
Your wrong middle square gives you the win in two moves
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DOESN'T WORK Your opponent will be forced to block it by putting an X in the top right corner, creating a fork that will make you lose if you do middle
It says that I am O.. not X.. so.. only if I put an O TOP-RIGHT.. will the game continue.. if not.. X will have a fork. So.. there is an error in the solution.
None of these solutions are correct. Your opponent will be able to block you no matter where you put it and if you play out every turn it will end in a tie.
Nope! If you for example but O in the upper left corner, X has to put one in the middle left, else you can put there and have already won. Than you have to put one in the middle, else X can put one there and wins with 3 in a row, but now you get 3 by placing one in the top AND bottom right corners and X can only block one of them. He also can't finish, because he doesn't have 2 in a row with 1 open square. Game has to go something like this: http://pastebin.com/PJmsiCCm
The solution is correct and inevitable, since your opponent has already made a mistake. No idea what is wrong with the people reporting this. Maybe they just suck at tic-tac-toe, but that's none of my business.
Ok, bur why is upper right incorrect?
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X will play in the center in response, and have two threats: left and bottom both win for him, and you can only block one.
If I put my mark in the middle ,my oppnent can't defeat me . So I can put it in the middle to win. But I can't understand that why it is wrong. Please anyone explain that why I am wrong.
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if O put in middle, X will forced to put in upper right. and this is game over, O can't win, because X have two X side by side in upper tile and right tile. if O put in upper left, X will put in lower right to win the game
Yes absolutely, putting our mark in middle, we can inevitably win the match, but it is already prefixed thta we can't do anything about the problem that is out answer is wrong. But it is not wrong in anyway
if you put one on the upper-left corner, they would do the one on top of the bottom left corner. Then you do the bottom right corner and then you win. You can just do the same thing if you do the bottom right corner first and the upper-left corner next.
Step 1: put your mark on either upper or lower right corner. But preferably on the lower right corner. Step 2:observe your opponent move. Your opponent can only one move i.e on the lower middle Step 3: After that you can mark in the middle . Step 4: your opponent have to choose between two upper corner whether left or right. Step 5: Suppose If your opponent choose mark on the upper left corner, you can mark on the right corner
answer should be middle tile
I must have know this from a long time ago, because I got it straight away. I had a hunch but I verified it worked.
With an opponent playing optimally, you won't win no matter where you put your next move.
This is correct, if you put it in a corner, then he blocks that, then put it in the middle, then he can either block the corner opposite the corner you just put it in, or the corner opposite your original O, but not both. Took me a minute to realize that
If you put it in the middle, you have two opportunities to make 3 in a row. No matter where the opponent puts his mark, you win.
This problem has the wrong answer. Clearly the center is the only winning option you have- what's wrong with these test makers??? how do you get them to correct it??
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If you put it in the middle, you definitely lose. Your opponent blocks it at then there are two Xs in a row on both the top row and the right column. Now wherever you put the O, you lose.
PROOF THAT Middle is best. If you go upper left the opponent easily blocks by going middle left. if you go lower right the opponent again easily blocks you by going bottom middle BEST MOVE: MIDDLE if you go middle this forces your opponent to go top right to block you. then you go bottom right or top left. Once you do that seeing as you have an O in the middle it sets you up with two paths to victory which means you automatically win. Middle tile means you win automatically.
Did you ever played Chess? This puzzle is illogical and wrong, and here's my explanation why :-)
Let's take chess as an example. In chess, you don't have to be 1 move from checkmate, to be in winning position. You can have a sequence of several moves that allow you to forced a checkmate, no matter what your opponent does, and this will be a winning position.
So, on this diagram, you ALREADY ARE in winning position! You DON'T HAVE TO acquire it, as you already have it.
Thus, the only logical explanation is that you have to either lose it and acquire it again... or acquire the winning position for your opponent. Because your opponent plays optimally, we can rule out the first option and only the second one is left: the question if about acquiring the winning position FOR YOUR OPPONENT =)
This is why there are three correct answers,while the one that is marked as a correct one, is actually wrong :-)
well if you keep te middle one free you will lose because than because there will be 2 opcional 3 cross possibility....................................
I think people have mixed up their symbols. You are playing O. They are playing X.
It isn't the middle. if you put your O in the middle he needs to block it by putting his X in the right above corner, then he has two options to win: the left above corner and the right beneath corner.
If you put a mark on the middle tile, a threat is created, and the opponent would block it. However, if he blocks it, he would make a fork, thus making you lose. The same goes with the upper-right corner.
If you put a mark on the left side or the lower side, you'll make a "ricochet" of threats by both players, but a fork will be made by the opponent, and thus, making you lose.
However, if you put a mark on the upper-left corner or on the lower-right corner, a threat is made. The opponent would be forced to block the threat, and you can put a mark on the middle tile to make a fork.
So the answer is Either upper-left corner or lower-right corner .