Order and Chaos

Tic-tac-toe variant

For the fantasy MMORPG video game, see Order and Chaos Online.

Order and Chaos is a variant of the game tic-tac-toe on a 6×6 gameboard. It was invented by Stephen Sniderman and introduced by him in Games magazine in 1981.[1] The player Order strives to create a five-in-a-row of either Xs or Os. The opponent Chaos endeavors to prevent this.

## Game rules

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Unlike typical board games, both players control both sets of pieces (Xs and Os). The game starts with the board empty. Order plays first, then turns alternate. On each turn, a player places either an X or an O on any open square. Once played, pieces cannot be moved, thus Order and Chaos can be played using pencil and paper.

Order aims to get five like pieces in a row either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Chaos aims to fill the board without completion of a line of five like pieces.

### Rules addition

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The original rules in Games magazine implied that six-in-a-row also wins. That version of the game was claimed weakly solved as a forced win for Order.[2] The inventor has subsequently suggested a new rule to better balance winning chances for both sides: Six-in-a-row does not qualify as a win. The new rule offers Chaos new defensive tactics against Order's previously "unstoppable" four-in-a-rows.[3] This version is weakly solved as a forced win for Chaos, who can win using a Pairing strategy.[4]

## See also

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* Entropy (1977 board game)

## References

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1. ^ Cassan, Ferdinand de. "Austrian Games Museum". www.ludorium.at. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
2. ^ "solved: Order wins | Order and Chaos". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
3. ^ "order and chaos solved? | Order and Chaos". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
4. ^ "order and chaos solved? | Order and Chaos". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2019-09-26.

## External links

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* Order and Chaos at BoardGameGeek
* Order and Chaos – Hannah Nicklin vs. Emma Blackery on YouTube

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Tic-tac-toe

Variants|

* 3D tic-tac-toe
* Gomoku
* Notakto
* Treblecross
* Number Scrabble
* Order and Chaos
* Pente
* Quantum tic-tac-toe
* Renju
* SOS
* Ultimate tic-tac-toe
* Wild tic-tac-toe

Related concepts|

* m,n,k-game
* nd game
* Kaplansky's game
* Harary's generalized tic-tac-toe
* Hales–Jewett theorem
* Strategy-stealing argument
* Futile game
* Paper-and-pencil game

Similar games|

* Nine men's morris
* Score Four
* Tic-Stac-Toe
* Gobblet
* Quarto
* Three men's morris
* Nine Holes
* Achi
* Connect Four
* Connect6
* OXO
* Toss Across
* Pentago

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