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Connect 4, also known as Four in a Row, Captain’s Mistress, Four Up, Find Four, Four in a Line, is a two-player, connection-based game. Players first choose a color, minimal win length (4, 5, or 6), and points to win (1, 3, 5, or 8).

They then take turns dropping a disc of their color into a six-by-seven, vertically-suspended grid. The players do this each turn until the victory. When the board has reached a stalemate, it must be reset. The goal is to be the first to form a four-long line of checkers horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

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Game Rules and How to play

4 in a Row is a game with “perfect information”. With over 4 trillion possible combinations of game pieces and board states, this game is perfect for teaching pattern recognition from an early age.

Game Goal

Perhaps one of the main reasons for the popularity of the game is its simplicity. While there are no complicated rules to follow, there are strategies to increase your chances of winning.

Once each player picks a color, usually red or yellow, one of them begins by placing a disc wherever on the upright seven-column and six-row grid, used for playing the game. When a player places a disc, the only way to stop it is by another disc.

The objective of the game is to connect four discs of one color in any of the three following ways:

  • Vertically
  • Horizontally
  • Diagonally

You can play Connect 4 in different variations. The number of pieces needed to connect for a win can vary. Some versions require a bigger grid, which allows the connection of five or even six pieces.

There is a possibility that not every game might end with a win for one of the players. If every cell of the grid gets filled and there are not any four discs connected, a draw is announced with no winners.

Four in a Row Strategy

While easy at a first glance, there is a lot of depth in Connect Four. The game is easy to learn, hard to master. By that, we mean that everyone can pick it up and win a decent amount of games. We have taken it a step further and have listed below some of the best strategies to increase your winning chances considerably:

  • Always try to play the center column – This way you are going to have a lot more places where you can secure a win.
  • Try to think a couple of moves ahead – Being aware of future opportunities that might arise for you or your opponent is a crucial element of the game. Always be alert!
  • Place traps for your opponent – Do not try to focus only on your pieces, but try to make it difficult for your opponent.
  • While you can win in many ways, utilizing different strategies, the most important thing is to enjoy! No matters if you play with a kid or an adult, try to enjoy the experience and connect with them!

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