Four in a Row

Play Four in a Row free online, with no sign-up or download. Drop chips into an available column and connect four of your colour before your opponent does. Choose from three computer difficulty levels or play with a second person on the same device.

Four in a Row rules

The Spielaro board has seven columns of six spaces each. Red and Yellow take turns dropping one chip. It falls to the lowest empty space in the chosen column; you cannot place it at an arbitrary height. Once a column is full, you cannot select it.

An unbroken horizontal, vertical or diagonal line of at least four of your chips wins immediately. The game highlights the winning line and accepts no more chips. If all 42 spaces are occupied without a line of four, the round is a draw.

Playing against the computer

You play Red and the computer plays Yellow. Red starts the first round. “New round” alternates which colour starts. When Yellow starts, the computer makes its opening move automatically.

• Easy: the computer recognises immediate winning moves, but otherwise often chooses randomly. This leaves room to experiment.
• Medium: the computer blocks immediate threats and compares possible continuations several moves ahead.
• Hard: the computer examines more continuations and searches further ahead than Medium.

The search is limited. Even Hard is not a promise of a perfect or unbeatable opponent. While the computer thinks, the board is locked against further drops. You can still undo your last move or switch to another difficulty.

Playing with two people

Choose “Two players” to share the device. The indicator above the board shows whose turn it is. Red and Yellow also use circle and diamond symbols, so you can distinguish them without relying on colour alone.

Take turns until someone wins or the board fills up. “Rematch” or “New round” starts again with the other colour going first. This mode works for a quick shared game on a computer, tablet or phone.

Selecting columns and using hints

Click or tap anywhere in the column you want. The number above it helps you find your way around. The last chip placed has a light dashed border. Winning chips have a clear outline.

Use Tab to reach the column control. Left and Right move between available columns; Enter or Space drops a chip. Keys 1–7 directly select a column while the board has keyboard focus. Home and End jump to the first and last available columns.

“Hint” highlights a suggested column without placing a chip. If there is an immediate win or an urgent block, the message explains why. Other suggestions come from a limited search and do not guarantee victory. Hints are also available in two-player mode; agree before the round whether to use them.

Undo, restart and scores

Against the computer, “Undo” takes back your last move and the reply together. If the computer has not replied yet, only your chip is removed. When Yellow starts, the computer’s opening chip cannot be undone on its own. In two-player mode, “Undo” removes the most recent chip.

The counters above the board show rounds won by each side and the number of draws. Reloading does not count a result twice. Undoing a winning move also removes that round’s result from the counter. Results from earlier completed rounds stay recorded.

“Restart” clears the current board with the same starting colour. “New round” changes the starting colour. During an unfinished game, a confirmation appears before replacing the current round. Restarting a finished round also asks for confirmation because its result will be removed from the score.

Saved games and more ideas

Each of the three computer levels and the two-player mode has its own saved board and round scores. Spielaro stores moves and used hints in this browser, provided local storage is allowed. You can continue after reloading. Other devices do not inherit the save, and clearing site data removes saved games.

For more relaxed thinking games, try Nonogram or Sudoku. The game catalogue shows all the free games.