Connect 4 Online
Drop your discs into the grid and line up four before your opponent does. Play against the computer (easy, medium or hard) or a friend on the same phone.
Your turn — you are red
Tap a column to drop the disc. Keyboard: arrow keys + Enter or keys 1 to 7.
How to play Connect 4
The board has 7 columns and 6 rows, standing upright. On your turn, choose a column and drop a disc: it falls to the lowest empty spot in that column. Players take turns, one with red discs and the other with yellow.
The first player to make a line of 4 discs of their color wins, horizontally, vertically or diagonally. If all 42 spots fill up without anyone making four in a row, the game is a draw.
Tap a column (or use the arrow keys and Enter, or the keys 1 to 7) to play. Undo takes back your last move, and who starts alternates each game. On the hard level, the computer calculates several moves ahead using the alpha-beta algorithm.
Frequently asked questions
Is Connect 4 the same as Four in a Row?
Yes, the rules are the same: a 7×6 grid, discs that fall by gravity and a win with four in a line. “Four in a Row” is the traditional name of the game, and Connect 4 is the trademarked name of the toy.
Does the first player always win?
With perfect play, yes: it has been proven that the player who starts in the center column can always win. In practice, the secret is to take the center, create threats on different lines and watch the diagonals.
How can I beat the computer on hard?
Build double threats: two spots where, if you play there, you complete four. The computer can only block one at a time. It also helps to prepare a threat on a lower row so that it is forced to play right under your winning spot.