TicTacToe Unbeatable 3x3x3

2023-07-13

In a two-dimensional 3x3 TicTacToe game, the first player, x, will always have the advantage. Although, going first does not guarantee a win. If both players play the best moves in TicTacToe, the game ends in a draw. This is different from a three-dimensional 3x3x3 TicTacToe game, where going first actually always guarantees a win in at most four moves when played optimally. The strategy as x is to always go in the very center of the cube as the first move. Then, for x's second move, pick a tile such that o must block without making two in a row. After this, x can now make a fork (two different paths to win) which makes the subsequent move result in a win. Of course, if o does not ever block the win will come earlier, but this is assuming each player plays the best move.