Project Quantum TiqTaqToe
Quantum TiqTaqToe
Many people know classic TicTacToe! But what happens when we add rules from quantum mechanics? Get to know superposition and entanglement with the quantum TiqTaqToe.
TicTacToe or three-wins is a very well-known game.
You will quickly find a good tactic. But what if there are new rules?
Learn about the quantum physics phenomenon of superposition in a playful way. In physics, it means that a property does not have to be uniquely determined.
It is the first additional rule in Quantum TiqTaqToe.
The second crazy phenomenon in our game is entanglement. It already made Einstein go into madness. Entanglement means that two things can behave like one. But it’s best to try it out for yourself!
You need:
- 1 game board
- 1 decision dice
- 6 X-dice
- 6 O-dice
You can create all the materials yourself. You can find the files in the downloads.
All materials are licensed under a CC-BY-SA licence..
You can also order the set as a tinkering box in our shop.
Quantum 1×1 makes the most important insights of the quantum world easy to understand. With the help of easy-to-understand videos and the new tinkering boxes, you will gain a basic understanding of second-generation quantum technologies.
You can also orWe visited over 20 quantum experts from different scientific fields. You can discover the conversations on the different topic pages!
Let’s start
⏰ Duration: ca. 15-30 min
1. Setup and first round
First of all, the dices have to be folded before the game starts.
Your game contains 12 dices. Note that the symbols on the outside must be visible. Fold the bottom flaps of the cubes to create a complete grey symbol. Repeat this process for all 12 dices and you are ready to go.
One person gets the symbol „cross“, the other „circle“. Then the symbols are placed one after the other.
The player with three symbols vertically, horizontally or diagonally in a row wins.
2. Rule Superposition
Quanta are crazy little things. Sometimes they are one thing and sometimes they are something else. What exactly they are, we don’t know. Only by observing them we are able to tell what state they are in. It’s like finding a big jar in the kitchen and not being sure if it’s salt or sugar. You can’t tell for sure until you taste it.
Now another side of the dice comes into play – the dotted crosses and circles. Now you can even occupy two squares in one move! Your symbol is now either on one or the other square.
When all fields are occupied, we „measure“ the quanta.
Take turns deciding which superposition you want to be decided, meaning measure. Furthermore, you have to call which cube position you would like to measure. Now take the decision cube and roll it. If it is the same symbol as the one on the cube, you are measuring
it becomes this symbol. In example, if you measure a superposition of circles and the decision dice shows a circle, the cube you measured becomes a real circle. The second cube gets removed.
If the symbols do not match, like measuring a circle superposition and the decision dice shows a cross, the cube you measured gets taken out and the partner becomes a fixed symbol.
If you have all decisions made by throwing the dice, but no one has won yet, you can use the free spaces to continue playing.
3. Rule Entanglement
Quanta can also entangle with each other. This means that if we know one state, the other quantum automatically assumes the matching state. This phenomenon is called entanglement.
In the third difficulty level, only grey crosses and circles and superpostition may be used. But only the coloured ones will count for your win.
To do this, you have the option of entangling a grey circle with a grey cross. This is what the entanglement symbol is for. The different colours help you to remember the pairs.
When all the squares are occupied, you choose an entangled symbol and roll the decision die. This symbol becomes what the decision die indicates – for example, a circle. The other symbol of the pair automatically becomes a cross.
All left grey smbols become fixed coloured ones.
If no one has won yet, but fields are now free again, you can continue playing.
4. What else to explore?
The quantum TiqTaqToe is also available as an app. It was developed by Evert van Nieuwenburg. It is available in the App-Store (iOS) and in the Play-Store (Android).
Visit our Quantum 1×1 and discover even more projects and many videos with easy-to-understand animations and exciting interviews with experts.