Abstract strategy / CONNECT4

Connect Four

Drop a disc and build a line of four.

Also known as: Four in a Row, Connect 4

Connect Four has simple, intuitive rules, perfect for a quick match of attack and defence between friends.

—online now

Supports ranked matches, friend invites, AI opponents, spectating.

Play instantly in your browser · guests welcome

Connect FourCONNECT4

ABOUT THE GAME

About the game

Connect Four belongs to the family of line-forming games. Its modern vertical-board form was designed by toy designer Howard Wexler and entered the commercial market in the 1970s.

Discs drop from the top of the board, so every move is constrained by gravity; this simple mechanic gives rise to a distinctive sense of space and timing.

Reference:www.howardwexlertoys.com ↗

Rules

Connect Four — How to play

Youzai Board Game Club — The server implementation governs play here; tournament and other site rules may differ.

01

Board and setup

A vertical grid has seven columns and six rows. Players choose a column in turn.

02

Making a move

A disc falls to the lowest empty position in its column; full columns cannot be selected.

03

Winning and draws

Make a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line of at least four to win; a full board without one is a draw.

04

Rules on this site

You select a column, not a row: discs always stack under gravity.

Helpful examples

  • Clicking a column that isn’t full drops a disc into the lowest empty slot of that column; you cannot choose a specific row within the column.
  • A connection can run horizontally, vertically or along either diagonal; the game is won the instant a move completes a line of four or more.

Complete beginner guide

From setup to the end of the game

Read these steps in order to complete your first game. This guide combines public rules with this site’s server implementation; where versions differ, this site’s ruling applies.

01

Setup and objective

A vertical board has seven columns and six rows. Players take turns dropping a disc, and the first to connect four or more of their own discs horizontally, vertically or diagonally wins.

02

Gravity rules

You choose a column, not a specific row. A dropped disc settles into the lowest empty slot of that column, and a full column can no longer be chosen. Existing discs therefore determine when squares above them become reachable.

03

A simple example

If a column already has three of your discs stacked, the next disc landing directly on top completes a vertical four. A horizontal or diagonal four usually needs a lower disc first to prop up the target square so it becomes reachable.

04

End of game

Completing a line of four wins immediately. If the board fills up with no line of four, the game is a draw.

General rules reference:instructions.hasbro.com ↗