How it works
Four in a row is played on a 7 by 6 board: you take turns dropping a disc into a column, and the first to line up four of their colour, across, up or diagonally, wins. If the board fills first, it's a draw.
Here, each move makes a link. The link holds every move so far, both names and a short code that catches typos, written in letters and digits after the # in the address. Send it in any chat; your friend opens it, sees the last disc ringed, drops one of their own, and sends the new link back. Nothing is stored on a server, and the part after the # isn't sent to our server; the page removes it from the address as soon as it starts. Each device also keeps its own copy of the game.
Links can be edited, by anyone who holds one. The page checks that every move is allowed, and on a device that has the game it checks that no earlier move was changed, but it can't tell whether your friend really sent a link. Play with people you trust. You choose who moves first, a rematch swaps it, and you can take a move back until you copy its link.
Questions people ask
- How do you play four in a row by link?
- One player makes a move, copies the link under the board and sends it in any chat. The other opens it, makes a move, and sends the new link back. Each link holds the whole game, so there's no account and nothing stored on a server.
- Can someone cheat by editing the link?
- Yes, a link can be edited by anyone who holds it, including your opponent. The page checks that every move is allowed and, on a device that has the game, that no earlier move changed, but it can't prove who made a link. Play with people you trust.
- Who wins four in a row with perfect play?
- The first player, if they start in the middle column. The game is solved: with perfect play, the first player can force a win on or before the 41st move. Real games are not perfect, and the page lets the starter choose who moves first and swaps it in a rematch.
- What happens if I open an old link?
- You'll see the latest version of the game on this device and a note that the link was older. If a link changes a move you've already seen, the page asks before using it.
- Why isn't it called Connect Four?
- "Connect Four" is a trademark (first sold by Milton Bradley in 1974), so this page uses the game's generic name, four in a row.