Four in a Row

Take turns dropping discs into a seven-column grid. Be the first to line up four of your colour, in any direction.

Difficulty
High score
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You play the yellow discs and move first. Choose a column and your disc falls to the lowest free spot. Four in a row, column or diagonal wins. Easy plays casually, Standard blocks your threats and Hard looks several moves ahead.

How to play
  1. Choose a column to drop your disc.
  2. Block the computer’s lines of three and build your own.
  3. Connect four in any direction to win. A full board is a draw.
Tips and tricks

A few ideas that make Four in a Row easier and more fun:

  • Start in the middle. Central discs belong to the most possible lines.
  • Watch for an open three with a free square at both ends: it cannot be stopped.
  • Before each move, think about what it lets the computer play on top.
About Four in a Row

Play Four in a Row online

Dropping discs into an upright grid has been a family favourite for decades and a classic of turn-based play. This version is a compact seven-by-six board against the computer.

Why it works

You compare several possible futures, spot threats early and choose between attack and defence. The task uses planning, pattern recognition and thinking a few moves ahead.

These are the skills used during play; improvement outside the game is not established.