Four in a Row endgames: odd and even rows
Why threats on odd rows help the first player and even rows help the second: the counting rule behind Four in a Row endgames. Winning ideas · lesson 4 of 4.
The lesson in words
Late in the game, players often have threats that neither side can reach yet, like the one in the last lesson. Then the board fills up column by column.
When the board fills evenly, the first player (gold) tends to get the spaces on odd rows: 1, 3 and 5, counting from the bottom. The second player gets even rows: 2, 4 and 6.
Gold wants threats on odd rows, Ivory on even rows. That’s the Four in a Row path complete!
Questions
You play gold and moved first. Where is a waiting threat strongest for you?
Odd rows. When the columns fill up, those spaces tend to fall to gold.
Playing second, which rows should your waiting threats be on?
Even rows. A threat on row 2, 4 or 6 is one the first player usually has to give you in the end.