First-player and second-player win

In combinatorial game theory, a two-player deterministic perfect information turn-based game is a first-player-win if with perfect play the first player to move can always force a win.

Similarly, a game is second-player-win if with perfect play the second player to move can always force a win.

With perfect play, if neither side can force a win, the game is a draw.

With perfect play, checkers has been determined to be a draw; neither player can force a win.

It has been speculated that there may be first-move advantage which can be detected when the game is played imperfectly (such as with all humans and all current chess engines).

Diagram showing optimal strategy for tic-tac-toe . With perfect play, and from any initial move, both players can always force a draw.