Tic Stac Toe is a twist on the classic game of Tic Tac Toe: You can make lines in 3D! You not only have the regular horizontal, vertical and diagonally across the board, but players can build upwards. Due to the additional dimension in Tic Stac Toe there are over 75 ways to win and rarely any tie games. The instructions are simple but the game demands focus and careful planning. This game develops visualization skills as well as strategic planning.
How to Play
The object of Tic Stac Toe is to be the first player to get 4 of your pieces in a row. The 4 pieces can be in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line.
Start by connecting the tiles to create a 4×4 board. Decide who is playing X an who is playing O. The X player goes first and then players take turns placing pieces on the game board. The pieces can be placed on the board or on top of each other to a maximum height of 4 pieces. The player to create a row of 4 horizontally, vertically or diagonally wins!
Variations:
The game can also include blocker pieces. These two black pieces can only be used to block an opponent’s win. Each player has 1 and must use them immediately before taking their regular turn.
Another variation is to make a 3×3 board. This means the maximum height is 3 and you win with 3 pieces in a row.
Teaching Resources
Below are resources for you to adapt for your classes. Each lesson plan highlights mathematical processes to focus on, questions for reflection and a worksheet for the students to complete following their game. Holding space for class discussions is encouraged and when possible, include pictures from your students’ game boards to prompt discussion in the class.
Mathematical Processes
Communication [C]: Although communication is already present within Tic Stac Toe, an excellent way to enhance it is by playing in pairs. This allows students to practice explaining their strategies for winning lines in mathematical terms (e.g. horizontal and vertical) in order to convince their partner of a good move. Students also use communication skills to explain their winning move to their opponents, if the situation is not clear to everyone.
Connections [CN]: One obvious connection for this game is the classic Tic Tac Toe game which many students may have experience playing. However, we have discovered many students also make a connection to Connect Four due to the vertical aspect of the game. Students often begin by using strategies they have learned in both of these games and then expand their depository to include many new methods.
Reasoning [R]: Tic Stac Toe allows students to explore a variety of playing strategies and then once they have found their preferred methods, they must explain why they work. Students will constantly question the moves of their opponents and therefore they also must be able to justify their own actions throughout the game.
Problem Solving [PS]: As students gain experience playing this game they begin to see the patterns of playing which result in losing/winning games. Students gain skills in being able to think of possible future moves and how their opponents may respond to different situations. Due to the different strategies used by different players and the many ways to win, this game is a great way to constantly keep students engaged in problem-solving.
Visualization [V]: Students develop spatial awareness in this game as they try to anticipate what your opponent’s response will be and through picturing various ways to win. The three-dimensional nature of the game challenges students who have experience with the two-dimensional Tic Tac Toe. This new dimension opens up many more options for the potential location of the pieces. The grid board provides informal experience with coordinates in geometry.