Board games
Connect Four
HasbroNed Strongin, Howard Wexler1974
- players
- 2
- minutes
- 10
- years
- 6+
In the box
1 upright grid · 42 discs: 21 per colour
Official rules (publisher's site)
Box details
- Designers
- Ned Strongin, Howard Wexler
- Artwork
- Walter Pepperle
- Publisher
- Hasbro
- Mechanics
- Pattern Building
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
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The basics
Line up four discs of your colour, horizontally, vertically or diagonally. On your turn, drop a disc into the column of your choice: it lands on the lowest empty space. The round stops at the first line of four, which wins it; a full grid with no line is a draw.
Checked against the official rules · October 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
7 columns × 6 rows, 21 discs per player, Youngest starts
- An upright grid of seven columns and six rows.
- Twenty-one discs per player, red for one, yellow for the other; the sliding bar closes the bottom of the grid.
- The youngest player starts.
How to play
Choose a column, The disc drops
- On your turn, drop a disc into the column of your choice.
- It lands on the lowest empty space: you only choose the column.
- Players take turns until one of them lines up four discs.
Scoring
No points
- No points in the rulebook: the first line of four wins the game.
- The counter keeps track of the rounds won when you play several games in a row.
End of the game
Line of 4, Full grid: draw
- The round stops at the first line of four.
- A full grid with no line: the game is drawn (a case the rulebook does not cover; this is the custom).
- For the next game, the winner slides the bar to empty the grid and hands out the discs again.
House rules and pitfalls
The first player is certain to win by starting in the centre column and playing perfectly…
- The first player is certain to win by starting in the centre column and playing perfectly: the game has been solved since 1988. Any other first column gives them a draw at best.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
What is the goal?
Line up four discs of your colour — horizontally, vertically or diagonally — in the upright grid, before your opponent.
How do you play a disc?
Drop it into a column: it settles on the disc below or at the bottom. You only choose the column, not the height.
Does the first player have an advantage?
Yes, a clear one: with perfect play, the first player starting in the centre is certain to win. The centre is the key column.
What threat should you watch for?
The double threat: a move that creates two lines of three at once. Your opponent can only block one. Spotting it in advance is the whole game.
What happens if the grid fills up?
If all 42 spaces are full with no line of four, the game is drawn. This is rare between players of unequal strength.