CupieFree game
Four in a Row Online for 2 Players (Connect 4 Style)
Quick answer
The board is ready as soon as the page opens: tap a column to drop a disc, and four of your color in a row (across, down or diagonal) wins. Play on one phone, against the computer from Easy to Expert, or by text link, where each move is a link you send. Classic 7x6 or a big 9x7 board. No account, no app, no ads.
Four in a row, the Connect 4 style game, is played online here by 2 players: drop discs into a 7 by 6 board until someone lines up four of their color. The version above is free and needs no account. It is built for two people who are not always in the same room: one tap sends your move as a link, and your partner answers whenever they have a minute.
How do you play four in a row by text?
- Choose By text link above the board, and tap your name to change it if you like.
- Drop your first disc and tap Send. Send it by iMessage, WhatsApp, Instagram or any chat.
- Your partner taps the link, sees where your disc landed, drops theirs and sends a link back.
- Rematch at the end. The score travels in the link, and the first move switches every round.
It works between iPhone and Android, so it is a good swap for the iMessage game you miss. More on that in GamePigeon alternatives.
What are the rules?
- Players take turns dropping one disc into a column. The disc falls to the lowest free space.
- Four of your discs in a line wins: across, up and down, or diagonal.
- If the board fills up with no line of four, it is a draw.
- The classic board has 7 columns and 6 rows. The big 9x7 board gives more room for long games.
How do you win at four in a row?
- Own the middle. More lines of four pass through the middle column than any other.
- Look before you drop. Check if your disc gives the other player a space to win right on top of it.
- Build two threats. A single threat gets blocked. Two at the same time usually win.
- Think in rows from the bottom. A threat on a low row comes into play sooner than one high up.
On the classic board the first player can always win with perfect play, which researchers proved in 1988. In practice nobody plays perfectly, so the Expert computer is a good test.
What else can we play?
The same modes work in Tic Tac Toe for 2 players and Battleship for 2 players. On a call already? Try our games to play on FaceTime. Looking for an app? See the best two player mobile games that work between iPhone and Android.
What are the limits?
- Link games are turn by turn, not live. For live play on a call, use one app on both phones, such as Cupie.
- Your phone remembers your side and open games in this browser. Open links in the same browser each time.
- Anyone with the link can see the board and the names you typed.
- Same phone and computer scores are saved on this phone only.
FAQ
How do I play four in a row online with a friend?
Choose By text link above the board, drop your first disc and tap Send. Your friend opens the link, sees your move, drops theirs and sends a link back. It works by text, WhatsApp or DM, between iPhone and Android, with no account.
Is this the same game as Connect 4?
It is the same classic idea: two players drop discs into a 7 column, 6 row board, and four in a row wins. Connect 4 is a Hasbro brand name; this free version is not made by or linked to Hasbro.
Can two people play on one phone?
Yes. Same phone is the default mode. Pass the phone after each drop. Tap a name to change it, and the score stays on the phone.
How good is the computer?
Easy makes plenty of mistakes, Medium looks a few moves ahead, Hard rarely slips, and Expert searches as deep as it can in about a second. On Hard and Expert you get one undo per game. You and the computer take turns going first.
Who wins four in a row with perfect play?
On the classic 7x6 board the first player can always force a win by starting in the middle column and playing perfectly. James Dow Allen and Victor Allis each showed this in 1988. That is why the first move switches every round here.
What is the best strategy for four in a row?
Take the middle column early, because more lines of four pass through it. Look for two threats at once, and never drop a disc that lets your opponent win on top of it.
How we made this page: page text and tool drafted with help from AI tools, then reviewed and edited by Niclas Illg against the sources below on November 3, 2026. The tool itself runs in your browser, with no AI generator behind it. Cupie is our own app.