How to Play

How to Play Connect Four Online

Connect Four is a two-player strategy game played on a vertical 7-column, 6-row grid. Players alternate dropping colored discs into columns, and the first to line up four in a row — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally — wins.

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Objective

Be the first player to connect four of your own discs in a row, in any direction.

Setup

The board stands upright with 7 columns and 6 rows (42 slots total).
One player is assigned red discs, the other yellow.
Players decide who drops first — commonly a coin flip.

How to Play, Step by Step

Drop a disc

On your turn, choose any column that isn't full and drop a disc in. It falls to the lowest empty slot in that column.

Watch for threats

After each drop, check whether your opponent now has three in a row with an open slot to complete it — block it if so.

Build toward four

Look for columns where you can extend a line horizontally, stack vertically, or set up a diagonal your opponent can't easily block.

Win or fill the board

The game ends the instant a player connects four. If all 42 slots fill with no winner, it's a draw.

Rules to Know

Discs always fall straight down to the lowest available slot in the chosen column.
A line of four counts in any direction: horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
Once a column is full (6 discs), no more can be dropped into it.
Turns alternate strictly — no skipping or double moves.

Tips & Strategy

Control the center column (column 4) early — it's part of the most possible winning lines.

Never make a move that hands your opponent an open three-in-a-row without checking if it also blocks you.

Watch for "double threats" — a move that creates two different winning spots at once is nearly unstoppable.

Playing the odd/even row parity (who's forced to open which row) matters more in longer games — try to force your opponent into completing your rows for you.