Four in a Row
Drop your red discs into the columns. Line up four in a row, across, down or diagonally, before the computer does.
Tap any column to drop a disc into it.
How to play
The board stands upright with seven columns and six rows. You play red and go first; the computer plays yellow. On each turn, choose a column. Your disc drops to the lowest empty space in it. The first player to line up four discs in a row, across, up and down or diagonally, wins.
Winning tips
- Start in the middle. The center column is part of more winning lines than any other.
- Block early. Three in a row with an open end is a threat. Block it before it becomes four.
- Look up as well as across. Diagonal lines are the easiest to miss, for you and for your opponent.
- Set traps. Build two threats at once, or a threat your opponent cannot block without giving you another.
- Mind the square below. Before you play, check whether your move lets your opponent drop a winning disc on top of it.
Easy or hard?
On Easy the computer looks only one move ahead and makes mistakes. On Hard it thinks several moves ahead and plays a strong game. Win on Easy first, then see how long you can last on Hard.
A classic of vertical strategy
Games where you drop pieces to make lines have been popular for generations. Mathematicians have shown that, with perfect play, the player who goes first on a standard board can always win, but finding that perfect play is far harder than it sounds.