Flip Tac Toe

This is a frantic variation of tic-tac-toe (also called noughts and crosses) in which players don’t have to take turns, but instead have to flip cups end over end before placing them on the board as fast as they can. My students love the game and pretty often ask to play, to which I oblige, but only sometimes. This is a pure just-for-fun diversion, bereft of any educational content, but still loads of fun.

I saw this game a long, long time ago on a kind of made-for-kids variety game show in Taiwan. I tried looking for it, but haven’t had any luck. If you can find it, do let me know.

Who can play

This is game for two players who only need enough manual dexterity to flip a cup end over end. Check the variations section for ideas about how to play with more than two players. A game can usually be finished in about one minute.

Materials

You’ll need a table and a big sheet of paper. If the table has a surface that you can draw on with a dry erase maker, then you won’t need the paper. You’ll also need two stacks of at least 5 cups that are visually distinct from each other. I find those speed stacking cups with the holes in the bottom to be perfect.

How to play

A game of Flip Tac Toe ready to be played.

Draw a large tic-tac-toe board on the paper (or directly on the table). Place the stacks of cups upside down on either side of the board. The two players should stand side-by-side in front of the board.

Unlike tic-tac-toe, players do not take turns in this game. Beginning at the same time each player takes one cup from the top of the stack nearest to them and places it right-side up in front of themself, just slightly over the edge of the table. They must use one of their hands to hit their cup from underneath, sending it flipping up into the air at least 180 degrees, to land on the table upside down. If the cup does not land upside down the player must try again and again with that same cup until they are successful.

A successful flip.

After a cup lands properly upside down, the player may place it on any empty space on board. Once a cup is placed on a space it may not be moved to another. The players continue taking cups from their stacks, flipping them, and placing them on the board as quickly as possible. As per normal tic-tac-toe, three in a row wins the game.

Variations

• This game can accommodate small teams by having each team line up in front of the board at the beginning of the game. Once the player at the front successfully flips a cup and places it on the board, they go to the back of the line and the next player is responsible for flipping the placing another cup, and so on.

• You can let players place their cups over cups that are already on the board. You’ll need more cups (I use stacks of 12). This variation extends the length of the game slightly. When playing this variation in my class I set a limit of two cups on one space, otherwise a situation might arise wherein both teams keep placing their cups on the space over and over again.

• There’s no reason to stop at just two players! Adding a third (or fourth…) works better when using the stacking variation above.

Considerations

• Sometimes a cup falls to the floor, but lands properly. In my classes I consider this a successful flip.