When the page loads you get a bare 3 by 3 grid, empty squares, a tiny X waiting in the corner and a start button that looks like it deserves a click. It is all very plain. Fast to read. Faster to play.

You take turns placing X or O, trying to make three in a row while stopping the other player. That is it. The game feels sharp and petty. Short rounds, a tiny ladder of tactics. Play against a friend or the CPU, and it can suddenly feel like a poker face contest over who grabs the center and who falls into a trap.

I like how quick it is, though I get bored if the opponent plays perfectly, so I usually nudge the AI down a notch and go for silly forks. If you want to win more, take the center on your first move and block obvious forks, and pretend you did it on purpose.