Four in a Row
Your turn
Click a column, or press 1–7, to drop your disc.
How to play Four in a Row
Four in a Row is played on an upright board with 7 columns and 6 rows. You play gold and drop your disc first; the computer plays ivory.
- Pick a column. Your disc falls to the lowest empty space in that column.
- Take turns. You and the computer drop one disc at a time.
- Connect four to win. The first to get four discs in a line, across, up and down, or diagonally, wins.
- A full board is a draw. If all 42 spaces fill up with no line of four, nobody wins.
Click or tap a column to drop a disc. On a keyboard, press 1 to 7.
The daily challenge
Every day there’s a new daily challenge: a Four in a Row position where you’re one move from victory, but the computer has threats of its own. Everyone gets the same puzzle, and you get one try. Solve it to grow your streak, then come back tomorrow for the next one.
Quick tips to beat the computer
- Start in the middle. The centre column is part of more possible lines of four than any other column.
- Block every three. Before each move, check whether the computer has three in a line with an open space it can reach next turn.
- Watch the space underneath. Don’t drop a disc directly below a square where the computer would complete four. Filling that space lets it play there.
- Build two threats at once. The computer can only block one per turn, so a double threat wins.
Learn about threats, odd and even rows, and how to set up a winning trap.
Read the Four in a Row guideFour in a Row FAQ
Is this Four in a Row game free?
Yes. Play the computer as often as you like and try the daily challenge every day, free in your browser. No download and no account needed.
Can the first player always win Four in a Row?
On the standard 7×6 board, yes, in theory. The game was solved in 1988: with perfect play, the first player can always force a win by starting in the centre column. In practice nobody plays perfectly, so there’s plenty to play for.
When does the daily challenge change?
A new puzzle appears every day at midnight. Your streak counts the days in a row you’ve solved it.
Do diagonal lines count?
Yes. Four discs in a row diagonally, in either direction, win just like four across or four down.
Which level should I start on?
Easy is relaxed and leaves gaps. Medium blocks your obvious threats. Hard looks many moves ahead, so you’ll need to set up two threats at once to beat it.