If your family has played Tic Tac Toe so many times that you could win with your eyes closed, it’s time for something new, just as simple, and more strategically interesting!
Row Call is a quick, clever twist on the X-in-a-row classic games. It looks familiar at first glance: draw a grid, take turns marking a symbol, try to get three in a row.
But here’s the catch: your opponent decides where your symbol goes, not you!
That tiny change turns this easy paper and pen game into a surprisingly strategic battle!
How to Play Row Call
What You’ll Need
- A piece of paper (I love playing these in notebooks; I keep one in my purse so I always have it!)
- A pen or pencil
Set Up
- Draw a 4×4 grid on your paper
- You can label the rows and columns if you’d like, but you don’t have to.Â
- Each player chooses their symbol, X or O
How to Play
On your turn, choose a row or column where you’d like to write your symbol.Â
Then your opponent chooses where in that row or column your symbol is placed.Â
Example: If you choose Row B, your opponent can place your symbol in any open space in Row B
Then it’s their turn to pick a row or column and you choose where their symbol goes. Keep alternating turns.
When someone gets three of their symbols in a row either orthogonally or diagonally, they win!
More of a visual learner? Check out our video of Row Call here!
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