Connect 4 as we know it was first sold under this name all the way back in 1974 and as such plenty of strategy has been developed. Incredibly quick to pick up and playable to almost all ages, the game is an instant classic. Since its inception over 4 million copies have been sold making it one of the best selling games of all time.
Table of Contents
- Connect 4 Rules
- Connect 4 Basic Strategy
- Forced Moves
- Traps in Connect 4: Advanced Strategy
- FAQs
- What Have We Learnt About Connect 4 Strategy?
Connect 4 Rules
Check out the official Connect 4 rules here at Hasbro’s site with a PDF included!
Triple S games has a quick, but great tutorial on YouTube
Connect 4 Basic Strategy
The following tips should be applied to all of your Connect 4 games. They’re great to bear in mind and will help you win more games straight away!
What is the Best First Move in Connect Four?
Placing your first disc in the centre of the game board offers the highest chance of winning. This is because it opens up the board to all possible connect four combinations, 5, 2 horizontals, 1 verticals and 2 diagonals. There is no better first move than to win the centre! Interestingly, Connect 4 is a solved game, what this means is that it can be won, mathematically, by playing a perfect game when going first. The first move in a mathematically perfect game always starts with a centre disc.
Connect 4 Strategy for Going Second
How to win Connect 4 as a second player follows a similar logic to the best first move – challenge the centre! By dropping an opposite colour disc in the middle you are also staking a claim to the centre and opening up winning combinations. You have a slight initiative disadvantage, but this is made up by the fact that you’ve cut off one of your opponent’s potential winning lanes – the vertical connect 4.
Attack is the Best Form of Defence
Connect 4 is won by, well, connecting 4 discs. You need to be the first to do this and therefore defending will never be as effective as attacking. You need to create as many winning chances as possible with the hopes of either your opponent blundering a mistake, or you forcing a win. Attacking more will put your opponent under pressure leading you more likely to win.
Forced Moves
By creating 3 checker sequences you are forcing your opponent to respond to a threat or else loose. You will always be in a stronger position if you are playing both your own moves and you opponent’s moves for them. By attacking in this way you make it less likely for opponents to create winning opportunities, but also improve your own chances of winning. In the same vein, you must stop your opponent creating 3 checker sequences or else they will force YOUR moves. Connect 4 is as much about implementing your own strategy as neutralising your opponents.
Traps in Connect 4: Advanced Strategy
The following strategies take a bit of practice and experience, but when executed properly will devastate opponents!
Three in a row
Three in a row is the simplest Connect 4 trap. By placing your disc so that you have an open ended horizontal line your opponent cannot stop your win because there are two possible winning locations. Because the move is so straightforward it is likely that your opponent will spot it and prevent you playing it pre-emptively, but that does not mean you should not be aware of this strategy in case your opponent makes a mistake.
To make three in a row less obvious you might want to place one space between your first two discs, as shown below. Sometimes your opponent might not have the pattern recognition to notice you are about to create a three in a row.
Double Attacks
Double attacks require some set up, but effective when executed property. The main idea behind them is to force your opponent to block the first winning opportunity and by doing so allow you to place another disc to win.
The easiest way to set up a double attack is by combining horizontal and vertical threats as shown in the game winning seven. By creating a 7-like shape on the board you set up a double attack. It is great to have something to aim for and representing the win in a shape of the board can make the pattern easier to recognise.
FAQs
Can a Connect 4 game end in a tie?
Yes, this happens when the board is full and neither player has made a sequence of 4 discs.
Does 5 in a row still count as a win?
Yep, and give yourself a good pat on the back for putting on a good show. The four in a row is within the 5.
Can you win Connect 4 with a square?
No, the 4 discs must be in a line
What Have We Learnt About Connect 4 Strategy?
Controlling the centre is amongst the most basic and important connect 4 strategies. If you played against a dedicated Connect 4 computer it would use this strategy 100% of the time. You must always attack in connect 4 in order to pressure your opponent. Sitting back and letting them play all the moves will lead to a quick loss. Lastly, try to set traps, ideally double traps to secure victory!
