Play Four in a Row Online
Drop discs, connect four · Works on mobile & desktop · No download
Four in a Row is a classic connection game for two players. Take turns dropping coloured discs into a seven-column grid. Each disc falls to the lowest free space. The first player to line up four discs horizontally, vertically or diagonally wins. Play against an Easy or Hard computer, or with a friend.
Four in a Row is free to play on PlayQuestHQ with no download and no sign-up. It works on phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.
Tap or click a column to drop a disc. Connect four of your discs in a row (across, down or diagonally) before your opponent does.
How to Play Four in a Row
- Choose Easy or Hard computer, or 2 Players.
- Tap or click a column to drop your disc; it falls to the lowest empty spot.
- Take turns with your opponent.
- Connect four of your discs in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally to win.
- If the board fills up with no four in a row, the round is a draw.
Controls
Click a column to drop your disc.
Tap a column to drop your disc.
Tips to Win
- The middle column gives you the most ways to make four.
- Watch out for diagonal threats. They are the easiest to miss.
- Try to build two threats at once so your opponent can only block one.
- Do not fill a square directly under your opponent’s winning spot.
Four in a Row Rules at a Glance
Four in a Row is played on an upright grid of 7 columns and 6 rows. Two players take turns dropping one disc into a column, each disc falls to the lowest free space, and the first player to join four discs in a line wins.
| Board | 7 columns by 6 rows, 42 spaces in total |
|---|---|
| Players | Two, each with discs of one colour |
| On your turn | Drop one disc into any column that is not full |
| Gravity | Discs stack from the bottom, so you choose the column and the board chooses the row |
| How you win | Four of your discs in a line: across, down or diagonal |
| Draw | All 42 spaces fill with no line of four |
Beginner Strategy: A Five-Step Plan for Every Game
Beginners win more games with one fixed plan: start in the centre, grow your line both ways, and check for danger before every drop.
- Open in the centre column. The centre column belongs to more possible lines of four than any other column, so a disc there helps the most attacks.
- Build next to your own discs. A line of two or three with open ends can grow in two directions, which is twice as hard to block.
- Check before you drop. Look for any three enemy discs with an open end, including diagonals. If you find one, block it first.
- Aim for two threats. Set up two open ends that each complete four next turn. Your opponent can only block one of them.
- Watch the square above. Every disc you drop makes the square above it playable next turn, so check that this new square does not complete a line for your opponent.
How to Spot a Double Threat
A double threat is a move that creates two separate ways to complete four in a row on your next turn. Your opponent can only block one of them, so the other one wins the game on the following move.
There are two common shapes. The first is an open three: three of your discs in a row with a playable empty square at each end, so either end wins. The second is two lines at once: one move finishes a diagonal three and a horizontal three, giving two winning squares in different columns.
Spotting one against you is the same skill in reverse. Count the lines of three your opponent just made. If there are two, check both ends: one may be closed by the board edge or an unplayable floating square. If both ends are open and playable, only an immediate win of your own can save the game.
Odd and Even Threats
Experienced players think about which row a threat sits on. When the board is filling up, the first player usually benefits from threats on odd rows (counting 1 from the bottom) and the second player from threats on even rows, because of the order in which columns fill. You do not need to master this to enjoy the game, but it explains why some threats win late in the round.
Common Four in a Row Mistakes
- Ignoring diagonals, which are the easiest lines to miss.
- Playing on the edges early, where each disc joins fewer possible lines.
- Dropping a disc right under a square your opponent needs to win.
- Only blocking and never building, which lets your opponent control the game.
Good to Know
Does the first player have an advantage in Four in a Row?
Yes, the first player has a real advantage: the game was solved in 1988, and with perfect play the first player always wins on the 7 by 6 board, but only by opening in the centre column. Human players are not perfect, so in real games the second player wins plenty of rounds by spotting threats earlier.
How good is the Hard computer?
The Hard computer is a strong opponent that looks ahead several moves, blocks your threats and builds its own attacks. It stops simple winning moves reliably, so beating it usually takes a double threat, two winning lines at once of which it can only block one.
Is Four in a Row the same game as Connect Four?
Yes, Four in a Row and Connect Four are the same game with the same rules. Connect Four is the trademark name Milton Bradley used for the boxed version sold since 1974, while Four in a Row is the plain descriptive name anyone can use.
Can two players play Four in a Row on one device?
Yes, two players can share one device in the 2 Players mode on this page. You take turns tapping a column on the same phone, tablet or computer, one player on each colour, like passing a board game across a table.
Can I play Four in a Row on my phone?
Yes, Four in a Row runs in your phone browser with nothing to download or install. Tap a column to drop a disc, and the board is sized for portrait screens, so you can play against the computer or a friend anywhere.
Is my Four in a Row progress saved?
Your best scores are saved in your own browser on this device. Clearing your browser data will reset them.