Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Playing butter, cheese and eggs
• Part 2 of 2: Becoming an expert
• Tips
• Necessities

Butter cheese and eggs is a fun game that you can play anytime, anywhere as long as you have a piece of paper, a pen and an opponent. Butter, Cheese and Eggs is a zero-sum game, which means that if both players play their best, none of the players will win. However, if you learn to play butter-cheese-and-eggs and master some simple strategies, you will not only be able to play, but in most cases win. If you want to know how to play butter, cheese and eggs, see Step 1 to get started.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Playing butter, cheese and eggs

1. Draw the sign. First you need to draw the board, which consists of a grid of 3 x 3 squares. This means it has three rows of three squares. Some people play with a 4 x 4 grid, but that's for more advanced players and we'll focus on the 3 x 3 grid here.
2. Let the first player go first. While traditionally the first player plays with an "X", you can allow the first player to decide whether to play with an "X" or an "O". These symbols are placed in the table, in an attempt to get three of them in a row. If you go first is the best move to occupy the center. This maximizes your chances of winning because it allows you to make a row of three times "X" or "O" in more combinations (4) than if you chose another square.
3. Let the second player go second. After the first player has been, the second player must put down his symbol, which is different from the first player's symbol. The second player can either try to prevent the first player from making a row of three or concentrate on making his own row of three. Ideally, the player can do both.
4. Take it in turns until one of the players has three symbols in a row or until no one can win anymore. The first player to line up three of his or her symbols, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, has won butter-cheese-and-eggs. If both players play with the optimal strategy, there is a good chance that no one will win because you have already blocked each other's chances of three in a row.
5. Keep practicing. Contrary to popular belief, butter, cheese and eggs is not purely a game of chance. There are some strategies that can help you optimize your skills and become an expert butter cheese and egg player. If you keep playing, you'll quickly learn all the tricks to make sure you win every time - or at least you'll learn the tricks to make sure you never lose. It's like 0's and X's.

Part 2 of 2: Becoming an expert

1. Make the best first move. The best move, if you go first, is to take the middle. There are no ifs and buts. If you take the middle, you have the greatest chance of winning the game. And if you let your opponent make his move there, you have the greatest chance of losing. And you don't want that, do you?
   • If you don't take the center, the next best move is to take one of the four corners. That way, if your opponent doesn't pick the center (and a novice player might not), you have a high chance of winning.
   • Avoid the edges as the first move. The edges are those four boxes that are not the center or the corners. If you go there first, you have the smallest chance of winning.
2. Respond appropriately if the other player goes first. If the other player goes first and doesn't take the center, then you must take the center. But if the other player does go in the middle, your best bet is to place your symbol in one of the squares on the corners.
3. Follow the "right, left, top and bottom" strategy. This is another surefire strategy that will help you win the game. If your opponent puts a sign, see if you can place your symbol to the right of his symbol. If you can't, see if you can put it to the left of it. If you can't, put it above your opponent's symbol. And lastly if that doesn't work, see if you can put your mark below your opponent's. This strategy ensures that you are most successful in optimizing your position and preventing your opponent from scoring.
4. Use the three corner strategy. Another strategy for winning the butter-cheese-and-eggs game is to place your symbols on three of the four corners of the board. This can optimize your chances of three in a row because you can create a diagonal row or rows along the side of the grid. This works if your opponent isn't completely bothering you, of course.
5. Play against a machine. If you really want to improve your strategy and make sure you never lose, it is best to play as much as you can rather than memorize a list of strategies. You can find online computers that you can play against and you will soon be able to play a game where you never lose (even if you can't win).
6. Take it to a higher level. If you feel constrained by a 3x3 board, it may be time to start playing on a 4x4 or even 5x5 squares board. The bigger the board, the longer the row you have to make; on the 4 x 4 board you have to line up 4 symbols and on the 5 x 5 board you have to make a row of 5 symbols, and so on.

Tips

• The 3x3 grid can be easily created by drawing two vertical and two horizontal lines. The lines should overlap and look a bit like a hash sign (#).
• Stop and look around the butter cheese and egg area. Think about where your opponent will make a move and what would be a good move for you.

Necessities

• Piece of paper
• Pencil / pen