I need another pair of eyes.... my loops have got me twisted!

Question

Hey I'm trying to put together a basic tic tac toe game without using any classes. I've written enough code to allow one person to choose a valid position and for next to do so as well. So the game begins and the first player is asked to choose a position on the board,... you select a valid space between 1 and 9, otherwise you have to choose again, after you enter a valid number between 1 and 9 and second bit of code takes the integer value you've entered and converts it into a string for us to compare against the position. Since the 3X3 array is initialized to the numbers 1-9 corresponding with the positions the user selects, if anything other than the number entered appears in the position, the spot has previously been filled and the user is supposed to be prompted to select another position. So... getting back to the problem, after the user selects a bad position the code jumps back up to the top instead of executing the specific error code i tried to have triggered. Along the way you'll notice I've that I've commented out entire blocks of code with some ideas that I've had the have pretty much brought me back to the same place. I feel I've been looking at this thing for too long and i need some fresh perspective. I'm sure I'll be kicking myself when one you nobles points out my flaw.
By the way player 2 code differs from player one so choose a base and let me know which approach works best.
thanks for the consideration
import java.util.Scanner; // importing the scanner to be able to accept user input
public class ticTacToe { // matches the name of the file "ticTacToe.java"
     public static void main(String[] args) { //declaring the main class
// *** Beginning: declaring all variables and objects ***
          Scanner keyboard = new Scanner (System.in); //creating the scanner object to accept user input
          char [][] board = new char [3][3];
          int row, column, i ,j;
          int userInput;
          char userInputChar;
          boolean emptySpotTest = false;
          //boolean userInputTest;
// *** End: declaring all variables and objects ***
// *** Beggining of Header ***
          System.out.println("X O X - Welcome to Benjamin's Tic Tac Toe Game - O X O\n");
          System.out.println("This Game has been designed to be played by two players.");
          System.out.println("As usual, one person will be player X and the other O.");
          System.out.println("When you choose where you'd like to place your piece enter a number between 1 and 9.\n");
          System.out.println(" 1 | 2 | 3 ");
          System.out.println("---|---|--- ");
          System.out.println(" 4 | 5 | 6 ");
          System.out.println("---|---|--- ");
          System.out.println(" 7 | 8 | 9");
//*** End of Header ***
          //Initialize all of the elements in the array
          for(i = 0; i < 3; i++){
          board [0] = Integer.toString(i + 1).charAt(0);
               for(i = 0; i < 3; i++){
               board [1][i] = Integer.toString(i + 4).charAt(0);
                    for(i = 0; i < 3; i++){
                    board [2][i] = Integer.toString(i + 7).charAt(0);
               for (i = 0; i < 3; i++){
                         System.out.printf( " %c | %c | %c", board[i][0], board[i][1], board[i][2]);
                         if (i != 2) System.out.print("\n---|---|---\n");
int moveCounter = 0; //used to count the number of moves to trigger a test for a winner
while (moveCounter >= 0){ //starting a game
     while (moveCounter % 2 == 0){ //finding out if player 1 should go
          emptySpotTest = false; //initialize the test to negative to be sure to run the tests every time we go in the above while loop
               do{ //get an integer between 1 and 9 from the user
                    System.out.print("\nPlayer X please choose your spot on the board: ");
                    userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
               } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
               // figure out what position the player has selected
               row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
               column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
               userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
               // finished converting the position to a string
          do{     
          if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
          board [row][column] = 'X';
          moveCounter++;
               else{
          while (emptySpotTest = false) {
               System.out.print("Error: Player X, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
               userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
//               figure out what position the player has selected
               row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
               column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
               userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
               // finished converting the position to a string
               if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
                    board [row][column] = 'X';
                    emptySpotTest = true;
                    moveCounter++;
               }else emptySpotTest = false;
          } while (emptySpotTest = false);
                    do{
                                        System.out.print("Error: Player X, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
                                        userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
                                   } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
                                        //figure out what position the player has selected
                                        row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
                                        column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
                                        userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
                                        // finished converting the position to a string
                                        if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
                                             board [row][column] = 'X';
                                             emptySpotTest = true;
                                             moveCounter++;
                                        }else emptySpotTest = false;
                    } //end of else statement
          //} while (emptySpotTest = false); //end of while for 2nd test
     }//end of while statement for palyer 1
while (moveCounter % 2 != 0){ //finding out if player 2 should go
          emptySpotTest = false; //initialize the test to negative to be sure to run the tests every time we go in the above while loop
               do{ //get an integer between 1 and 9 from the user
                    System.out.print("\nPlayer O please choose your spot on the board: ");
                    userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
               } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
               // figure out what position the player has selected
               row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
               column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
               userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
               // finished converting the position to a string
          do{     
          if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
          board [row][column] = 'O';
          moveCounter++;
               else{
                    emptySpotTest = false;
          } while (emptySpotTest = false);
                         do{
                              if (emptySpotTest = false){
                                   do{
                                        System.out.print("Error: Player O, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
                                        userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
                                   } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
                                        //figure out what position the player has selected
                                        row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
                                        column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
                                        userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
                                        // finished converting the position to a string
                                        if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
                                             board [row][column] = 'O';
                                             emptySpotTest = true;
                                             moveCounter++;
                                        }else emptySpotTest = false;
                         }while (emptySpotTest = false);
          } //end of while statement for palyer 2
}//end of gamecounter while
}//end of public static void main
}//end of public class ticTacToe
          //begin player 2 code
          while (moveCounter % 2 != 0){ //finding out if player 2 should go
               emptySpotTest = false; //initialize the test to negative to be sure to run the tests every time we go in the above while loop
                    do{ //get an integer between 1 and 9 from the user
                         System.out.print("\nPlayer O please choose your spot on the board: ");
                         userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
                    } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
                    // figure out what position the player has selected
                    row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
                    column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
                    userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
                    // finished converting the position to a string
               if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
               board [row][column] = 'O';
               emptySpotTest = true;
               moveCounter++;
               else {
                         do{
                              do{
                              System.out.print("Error: Player O, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
                              userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
                              } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
                              //figure out what position the player has selected
                              row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
                              column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
                              userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
                              // finished converting the position to a string
                              if (board [row][column] == userInputChar){
                                   board [row][column] = 'O';
                                   emptySpotTest = true;
                                   moveCounter++;
                              }else emptySpotTest = false;
                         }while (emptySpotTest = false);
               } //end of else statement
          }//end of gamecounter while
     }//end of public static void main
}//end of public class ticTacToe
          if (board[row][column] == userInputChar){ //test condition for the while statement directly below
               board [row][column] = 'X'; //mark the spot with an X if it's empty
               emptySpotTest = true; //set the boolean to to true meaning the spot is empty
               moveCounter++; //test code
               System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
               System.out.println(" " + board[row][column]); //test code
          else {
               emptySpotTest = false;
          System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
          System.out.println(" " + board[row][column]); //test code
          while (emptySpotTest = false){
               do{
                    System.out.print("Error: Player X, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
                    userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
               } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
               if (board[row][column] == userInputChar){
                    board [row][column] = 'X'; //mark the spot with an X if it's empty
                    System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
                    System.out.println(" " + board[row][column]); //test code
                    emptySpotTest = true; //set the boolean to to true meaning the spot is empty
                    moveCounter++; //test code
                    System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
          } //this segment of code is run after the user initially enters the number than it checks to see if
          //the space is free if not it keep looing until it's satisfied
          for (i = 0; i < 3; i++){
               System.out.printf( " %c | %c | %c", board[i][0], board[i][1], board[i][2]);
               if (i != 2) System.out.print("\n---|---|---\n");
          //moveCounter++; //increment the move counter
          while (moveCounter % 2 != 0){ //finding out if player 2 should go
               emptySpotTest = false;
               do{ //get an integer between 1 and 9 from the user
               System.out.print("\nPlayer O please choose your spot on the board: ");
               userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
               } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
               // figure out what position the player has selected
               row = (userInput - 1) / 3;
               column = (userInput - 1) % 3;
               userInputChar = Integer.toString(userInput).charAt(0); //convert the users input positions into a char to match the array type
               if (board[row][column] == userInputChar){ //test condition for the while statement directly below
                    board [row][column] = 'O'; //mark the spot with an X if it's empty
                    emptySpotTest = true; //set the boolean to to true meaning the spot is empty
                    System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
                    System.out.println(" " + board[row][column]); //test code
               else {
                    emptySpotTest = false;
               while (emptySpotTest = false){
                    do{
                         System.out.print("Error: Player O, please enter a position that has not been taken: ");
                         userInput = keyboard.nextInt();
                    } while (userInput < 1 || userInput > 9);
                    if (board[row][column] == userInputChar){
                         board [row][column] = 'O'; //mark the spot with an X if it's empty
                         System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
                         System.out.println(" " + board[row][column]); //test code
                         emptySpotTest = true; //set the boolean to to true meaning the spot is empty
                         System.out.print(emptySpotTest); //test code
               } //this segment of code is run after the user initially enters the number than it checks to see if
               //the space is free if not it keep looing until it's satisfied
               System.out.println(board[row][column]);
               System.out.println(emptySpotTest); //test code
               System.out.print("\n");
               for (i = 0; i < 3; i++){
                    System.out.printf( " %c | %c | %c", board[i][0], board[i][1], board[i][2]);
                    if (i != 2) System.out.print("\n---|---|---\n");
               System.out.print("\n");
               moveCounter++; //increment the move counter
          System.out.print("\n" + moveCounter);
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Answer 1

I suggest you try using a debugger to step through the program to see what it is doing.
This will help you understand what you program does.
I also suggest you try formatting your code in a readable manner or using a code formatter to do this for you.