About Four in a Row
Four in a Row is the connect-four classic on a 7x6 grid: discs drop to the lowest open slot in their column, and the first player to line up four — across, down, or diagonally — takes the game. That one gravity twist turns a childhood doodle into genuine strategy, full of traps, forks, and forced wins.
Face a computer opponent that genuinely looks ahead, or hand the second color to a friend for hot-seat matches on one screen. Discs fall with a satisfying animation, a hover preview shows exactly where your drop will land, and the 1–7 keys drive the columns from a keyboard. A session scoreboard tracks the rivalry — free, in your browser, on any device.
How to play Four in a Row
- Take turns dropping discs into one of the seven columns; each disc falls to the lowest empty cell.
- Connect four of your discs in any straight line — horizontal, vertical, or diagonal — to win.
- If the 7x6 board fills with no line of four, the game is a draw.
- Choose vs computer or two players on one device before the match.
- The session scoreboard tallies results for as long as you keep playing.
Controls
- Click or tap a column to drop your disc; hovering (or touching) previews the landing spot.
- On a keyboard, press 1–7 to drop into the matching column.
- Pick vs computer or 2 players from the menu.
Tips & tricks
- Fight for the center column — it participates in more possible four-in-a-rows than any other.
- Think in threats: two open-ended threes at once make a fork, and forks cannot both be blocked.
- Never drop a disc that gifts your opponent the cell directly above it — check what your move enables, not just what it builds.
- Play the long game with odd and even rows: threats low in the board tend to come due as columns fill up.
Frequently asked questions
Is Four in a Row a solved game?
Yes — with perfect play, the first player wins by starting in the center column. Neither humans nor our lookahead computer play perfectly every game, though, so the theory rarely decides your match.
Can I play Four in a Row with a friend?
Yes. Choose two-player mode and share the screen, taking turns dropping discs, while the session scoreboard keeps count.
How strong is the computer opponent?
It uses lookahead search, so it takes wins it can see and blocks obvious threats. Casual players get a real contest; strong players can still out-plan it.
