Four in a Row is a two-player strategy game. Players take turns dropping coloured discs into an upright grid, trying to be first to line up four. Many people know it as Connect 4, the brand name of Hasbro’s version, which was first sold in 1974.
Many names, one game
The same game goes by several names: four in a row, 4 in a row, 4 in a line, connect four and drop four. If you’ve searched for the Connect 4 game, this is it: Connect 4 is one brand of the four-in-a-row game, and the rules are the same. See Other Names for the Game.
Why it’s so popular
- Quick to learn. The rules fit in one sentence.
- Quick to play. Most games last 5 to 10 minutes.
- Real strategy. There are over 4.5 trillion possible positions on the board.
- For all ages. Children can play it, and computer scientists study it.
Four in a Row vs noughts and crosses
Noughts and crosses (tic-tac-toe) is played on a small 3 × 3 grid and almost always ends in a draw between good players. Four in a Row is bigger, discs fall with gravity, and you need four in a line. That gives it far more strategy, and a skilled first player can force a win.
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Keep reading
More in How to Play Four in a Row: Four in a Row Rules · What Is Four in a Row? · The Four in a Row Board and Pieces · Ways to Win at Four in a Row
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