May players help each other in Dots and Boxes?

Question

Three friends and I were playing a game of Dots and Boxes (the game where you connect dots with lines to make squares. Player with the most squares wins).

We were playing each person for themselves.

Friend A told me a good move that I hadn't seen; that way Friend B wouldn't win. We helped each other this way throughout the game, although technically we weren't on a team.

So after the game, Friends B and C flipped out and said we were breaking the rules by helping each other.

So my question is, is it within the rules or against the rules to help another player not on your team while playing Dots and Boxes?

Answer 1

if one of the people playing is a beginner otherwise no thats not fair to others and junk.

Answer 2

Make the rules before you start to play.

If you play with young children helping them will keep them interested in the game. The older they are the less help they should get.