Tic-Tac-Toe online, with a friend
X or O? Start a game, send the link, and get three in a row before your friend does. Classic rules or Vanishing mode with no draws. Free, in your browser, no sign-up.
- 2 players
- About 1 min
- Watchable live
- Free, no sign-up
The game everyone knows, now with a link
Tic-Tac-Toe (noughts and crosses, or Xs and Os) needs no explanation, and that is exactly why it works over a link. On BeatMe you make your first mark, send the link to a friend, and they answer whenever they like. If you are both online, every mark appears live on both screens, and anyone else with the link can watch.
Between two careful players, classic Tic-Tac-Toe usually ends in a draw. That is why BeatMe also has Vanishing mode: each player can only have three marks on the board. Place a fourth and your oldest one disappears. The board never fills up, so somebody always wins.
How to play Tic-Tac-Toe
Start a challenge
Type your name, pick Classic or Vanishing, choose who goes first and start. You get a short beatme.link link to send.
Take turns
The challenger plays X, the opponent plays O. Tap an empty square to place your mark.
Three in a row wins
Line up three of your marks across, down or diagonally. In Classic mode, a full board with no line is a draw.
Vanishing mode
Each player keeps at most three marks. Your oldest mark fades when it is next to go and disappears when you place a new one. No draws.
Tic-Tac-Toe strategy: how to never lose
- Take the centre or a corner first. The centre is part of four lines, each corner of three, each edge of only two.
- Answer a corner with the centre. If your opponent opens in a corner, the centre is the only reply that is always safe.
- Look for the fork. A fork is a move that creates two threats at once. Your opponent can only block one of them.
- Block the fork before it happens. When your opponent could fork next move, make a threat of your own that forces them to answer instead.
- Vanishing mode changes everything. Before you move, look at which of your marks is about to disappear. A line that looks finished can break on your next turn.
Why play Tic-Tac-Toe on BeatMe?
No lobby, no strangers, no app. You play the people you know, in whatever chat you already use. The link preview shows who challenged whom, every finished game gives you a result card to post, and the replay shows exactly where it went wrong. Rematch on the same link and BeatMe keeps the series score.
Tic-Tac-Toe FAQ
Can I play Tic-Tac-Toe online with a friend for free?
Yes. Start a game on this page and send the link. Your friend plays in their browser on any phone, tablet or computer. Free, no app, no account.
Do we have to play at the same time?
No. Each player moves whenever they like, and the link keeps the game for 48 hours after the last move. If you are both online, the moves show up live.
Who is X and who is O?
The person who starts the challenge plays X, the person who accepts plays O. You choose who moves first, and in a rematch the first move switches sides.
What is Vanishing Tic-Tac-Toe?
A twist that removes draws. Each player can only have three marks on the board. When you place a fourth, your oldest mark disappears. The mark that goes next is shown faded, so you can plan ahead.
Is Tic-Tac-Toe always a draw?
With perfect play from both sides, classic Tic-Tac-Toe always ends in a draw. Between people, forks and slips decide plenty of games. Vanishing mode never ends in a draw.
Is it the same as noughts and crosses?
Yes. Noughts and crosses, Xs and Os and Tic-Tac-Toe are all names for the same game on a three by three grid.
