This is a small Wiki made with the sole purpose of distributing files that I have pertaining to dots and boxes.

Here are very brief notes on what is currently here.

1) counting.pdf are notes I wrote in order to explain how I count endgames. I find the process sometimes rather a handful, and I am secretly hoping that someone will read what I wrote, be appalled at what a terrible method I'm using, and explain to me a better way! These notes are aimed at people who know the chain rule but are wary of quads (those big 2x2 boxes).

2) technotes.pdf [formally notesforgolem.pdf] are notes that I wrote after having read Winning Ways and Berlekamp's book. Writing the notes helped me to really understand properly things like the notion of a terminal bonus, and it taught me a lot about how to compute the values of certain simple endgames over the board---in fact most of the notes now are about computing the values of certain endgames. These notes were written by me, for me, so there are lots of technical details and perhaps not much motivation.

3) database.tar.gz is a database of over 300 well-played dots and boxes game, and a small amount of python script (basically a class defining a dots and boxes game) enabling people do to certain kinds of analysis (e.g. opening analysis) on the data.

4) nim.pdf is some pdf notes on the application of nim-theory to dots and boxes. I have lost count of the number of times people asked me where to read about nim and its applications to dots and boxes. My answer now is "here". nim is just a very fancy way of working out subtleties in the chain battle that rarely, but sometimes, present themselves on a 5x5 board.

I would welcome comments on any or all of this stuff.