Games / Four in a Row
Play Four in a Row online with friends
Drop a disc, block their line, build your own. Two players, any device, nothing to install.
- 2 players
- 5 to 20 minutes
- Bots on 3 levels
- Four board sizes
Four in a Row is the vertical game of dropping coloured discs into a frame. Each disc falls to the lowest free space in its column, and the first player to line up four across, down or diagonally wins the round. It takes a minute to learn, and good players still think several moves ahead to set up two threats at once.
On Deal & Roll you can send a friend a table code and play from two phones, or practise against a bot on Easy, Medium or Hard. The table also has a few changes you will not find on a plastic frame: boards up to 10 by 8, a five-in-a-row mode, and Pull Out, where you can remove one of your own discs from the bottom row.
Why play Four in a Row here
- Classic 7 by 6 frame, or bigger boards of 8 by 7, 9 by 7 and 10 by 8
- Five in a row mode for a longer, more tactical game
- Pull Out variant: take one of your discs out of the bottom row
- Easy, Medium and Hard bots, with the Hard bot searching nine moves ahead
- Matches of a single game, first to 3 or first to 5
- Keyboard controls on desktop: arrows to aim, Enter or Space to drop
How to play Four in a Row
Start a table
Open Four in a Row and choose Host an online table to invite a friend, or Practice against bots to play the computer.
Pick your rules
Set the board size, line length (four or five), Pull Out on or off, match length and bot skill, then press Deal me in.
Drop a disc
On your turn, tap any column that still has room. Your disc falls to the lowest empty space in that column.
Block and build
Watch for three of your opponent's discs in a line with an open space, and drop into that space before they can.
Line up four
Four of your discs in a straight line across, up and down, or diagonally wins the round. If the board fills with no line, the round is a draw.
Win the match
The loser of each round starts the next one. The first player to reach the target number of round wins takes the match.
Tips
- Play the middle columns early. A disc in the centre column can be part of more lines than a disc on the edge.
- Before every drop, check the space right above where your disc will land. Filling a column can give your opponent the square they need.
- Try to build two threats at once, such as two different open spaces that would each finish a line. Your opponent can only block one.
Screenshots
Four in a Row questions
Can I play Four in a Row online with a friend?
Yes. Choose Host an online table and share the table code or invite link with your friend. They open it in any browser on a phone, tablet or computer and take the second seat. The game is free and neither of you needs an account or an app.
What are the rules of Four in a Row?
Two players take turns dropping a disc into one of the columns. The disc falls to the lowest empty space. The first player to get four of their discs in a straight line across, up and down, or diagonally wins. If the board fills up and nobody has a line, the round is a draw.
Who goes first in Four in a Row?
The player in the first seat starts the first round. After that, the loser of each round starts the next one. After a draw, the player who went second in the last round starts. Going first is an advantage on the classic board, so this keeps a match fair.
What is the Pull Out rule?
Pull Out is an optional rule. On your turn you may pull one of your own discs out of the bottom row instead of dropping one, and every disc above it slides down a space. If the pull makes a line for you, you win, even if it also makes one for your opponent. A full board is not a draw with Pull Out on.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Choose Practice against bots and a bot takes the other seat. There are three levels. Easy makes plenty of mistakes, Medium plays well but slips now and then, and Hard searches about nine moves ahead, which is enough to beat most people.
Can I play on a bigger board or go for five in a row?
Yes. In the table options you can pick the classic 7 by 6 board or larger boards of 8 by 7, 9 by 7 and 10 by 8. You can also set the line length to five, which suits the larger boards and makes games longer.
Does Four in a Row work on a phone?
Yes. Tap anywhere in a column to drop a disc there. The board scales to fit phones, tablets and desktop screens, and there is table chat with quick reactions. On a keyboard you can aim with the arrow keys and drop with Enter, Space or the down arrow.