What's YOUR MOVE?

[AviatorTom]

You're playing TIC-TAC-TOE (noughts and crosses) with your 5-year old niece. You are X and it's your move.

Where do you place your X?
A. on the GREEN square for the WIN, or
B. on the BLUE square for the BLOCK, or
C. on the RED square so your NIECE WINS when she places her O on the BLUE square

Please explain your choice in a comment/opinion.

GREEN - WINNING is EVERYTHING

BLUE - CAN'T LET HER WIN

RED - LET HER WIN

QUIT the game - it's time for cake and ice cream

[HighlyVolatile]

I never take it easy on kids so I'm taking the green square for the win. I also wouldn't have let her take the center in the first place if I'm X. All games against me would result in me winning or tying. :-D

I prefer this way since the kids can play with each other if they want a better chance to win. I want them to trust me to honestly give it my best shot when we compete.

I had my American grandfather as a child who didn't let me win unlike many teachers and my parents and didn't compliment me so much, and I actually preferred playing games with him far more than any other adult. He didn't just avoid letting me win but he'd cheat if I wasn't paying attention. Then if I caught him, he'd always grin and say, "But I lie, cheat, and steal!" :-D

[DonkeyDan]

It is all very well to let a five year old win now and then, but it does nothing for their brain and cognitive development, I'll let her win this one but not the next few.

[DonkeyDan]

Thanks for the MHO 👍🏻

[lamaguy]

It depends on her attitude towards this stuff. If she gets upset when you win then that is still not good enough reason to let her win. Taking the win can show her she needs to be more careful which seems good overall. But if doing this will make her scream and cry then I’d just block her and try to find a different game so her mood isn’t ruined, it’s just sad haha


If you didn’t know whether or not she’d get upset then I’d choose block

[nawtee_me]

She wins most of the time but not every time. There has to be a little reality to the situation... lessons are being learned here...

[AviatorTom]

@nawtee_me Good point!

[Adam1978]

Green she needs to play the game right. She learns more by loosing then she does by me not exploiting her bad strategy.

[clampfan101]

If we tie every time she’ll get bored of it sooner. (Then it’s time for cake and ice cream!)

[slatyb]

I would play something else.

[AviatorTom]

@slatyb Come on, it's only a game... not that stressful.