Connect 4

Take turns dropping discs into the grid. First to line up four in a row — across, down or diagonally — wins.

How to play

1. 1Two players. Extra people in the room watch until a seat opens.
2. 2On your turn, drop one disc into a column — it falls to the lowest free slot.
3. 3Make a line of four of your colour in any direction to win.
4. 4Board fills with no line? It's a draw.

How to play Connect 4 online with a friend

Connect 4 rules in full

• The board is the standard 7 columns by 6 rows. Discs fall to the lowest empty slot in the column you pick.
• Four in a row wins in any direction: horizontal, vertical or either diagonal.
• If the board fills up with no line of four, the game is a draw.
• On a rematch the player who moved first swaps, so nobody gets a permanent first-move advantage.
• If your opponent drops off, the game pauses instead of ending. They rejoin the same seat and the same board if they reconnect.

Tips for winning at Connect 4

• Take the middle column early. It sits on the most possible lines of four, so it gives you the most options.
• Build two threats at once. A single three-in-a-row gets blocked; two ways to finish on different squares usually can't be.
• Watch the square directly above a threat. If dropping your disc there lets your opponent drop onto the winning slot, don't.
• Look at diagonals before every move. They're where most games are lost.

Connect 4 questions

Can I play Connect 4 online with a friend for free?

Yes. It's free, needs no account and runs in your browser. One person creates a room and the other joins with the room code or link.

Can I play Connect 4 against the computer?

Yes. Create a room and add a computer player from the lobby before you start.

How many people can play?

Two players take the seats. Anyone else in the room watches live until a seat is free.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. Tap a column to drop a disc. There's nothing to download.