Connect 4 rules
Drop discs into a standing grid and be the first to line up four. Gravity decides where every disc lands, and that is what makes it a game of planning.
The goal
Be the first player to connect four of your discs in a row. The row can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Players take turns dropping one disc at a time into an upright grid, where the discs fall straight down and stack on top of each other.
Setting up
- The grid
- Seven columns and six rows, standing upright: 42 spaces in all.
- The players
- Two players, Red and Black, with 21 discs each. Red goes first.
How to play
Taking turns
Players take turns dropping one disc each. On your turn, choose a column and drop your disc into it. The disc falls to the lowest empty space in that column. You can’t play in a column that is already full, with six discs in it.
Winning
You win the moment you connect four of your discs in a row:
- Horizontal: four in a row across.
- Vertical: four stacked in one column.
- Diagonal: four in a line slanting up or down.
The game ends as soon as someone has four in a row. If all 42 spaces are filled and nobody has, the game is a draw.
Strategy tips
- Control the center
- The middle column gives you the most winning opportunities.
- Think vertically
- Build upward connections that your opponent might miss.
- Make two threats
- Set up positions where you can win in two different ways.
- Block your opponent
- Every turn, check whether they are one move away from winning.
Common mistakes
- Focusing only on attack and forgetting to defend.
- Not recognising when your opponent has a forced win.
- Filling columns unevenly, which creates height advantages for your opponent.
- Overlooking diagonal threats, which are easy to miss.
- Playing too passively in the opening.
Ready to play?
Play the computer on Easy or Hard, or invite a friend.