Four in a row on paper — Free Printable PDF & Rules

Set up and play

1. Choose X or O and agree who moves first.
2. Mark the lowest empty square in one non-full column.
3. Check for four matching symbols in a straight line after every turn.

Finish the game

Use the ending and scoring rules in the complete guide below.

A tabletop strategy game without loose pieces

This paper format gives two players a shared seven column, six row board. Each turn places one symbol in a column, with the mark settling into the lowest empty square in that column. Both sides try to connect four of their own symbols while watching the other side’s threats. It is different from free placement games because a high square cannot be chosen until every square below it is occupied. Use X and O, two distinct initials, or two colors that remain readable when printed in black and white. No small counters are required.

Set up a fair short match

Print one board for a pair and keep a spare for a return game. Label the seven columns A through G so a participant can name a move instead of writing it. The bottom row is row one, and the top row is row six. Choose who moves first, and swap that privilege for the next game. For a gathering of four to eight people, run independent pairs or make two equally sized teams. Teams can have thirty seconds to discuss a move, but agree that limit in advance. A quiet pair can simply play without a timer.

Explain exactly where a mark goes

The first player chooses any column and writes their symbol in its bottom square. The second player chooses a column and fills its lowest empty square. If the second player chooses the same column, that mark sits directly above the first one. After every move, both people check for four matching symbols connected horizontally, vertically, or diagonally in a straight line. At least four is sufficient: a line of five also contains a winning line of four. Marks belonging to the other player interrupt a line. Empty spaces cannot be jumped across to complete a connection.

Use this original position as a teaching example

Before starting a scored game, imagine X already occupies A1, B1, and C1 while D1 is empty. If X can legally play D1, that move completes a horizontal four. If O moves next and plays D1 first, the row is blocked. Now imagine X has A1, B2, and C3 instead. D4 would finish a diagonal, but X cannot write in D4 until D1, D2, and D3 are already filled by either side. This is why watching the support squares matters. The example is a rules demonstration, not a claim that a particular opening will always win.

Full columns, mistakes, and the result

A column containing six marks is full and cannot receive another mark. Choose another column on that turn. If somebody writes a symbol above an empty space, stop immediately and move that same symbol to the lowest legal position in the chosen column before the next move. Do not erase a legal move just because it was tactically weak. The first completed line of four ends the game; circle the winning line so everyone can check it. If all forty two squares fill without such a line, record a draw. For a two game match, count one point per win and half a point per draw.

Ways to include different groups

Let a participant point or name a column while a partner writes the symbol, and read back the coordinate before marking it. For a first explanation, use the sample position on a separate sheet so neither player inherits an advantage on the real board. A noncompetitive challenge can ask the pair to build one legal diagonal together, explaining each supporting move as they go. For team play, rotate the person who announces the final column choice; this prevents one confident player from making every decision. Stop after the announced number of games and discuss a move that created two possible threats. The suggested timing and adaptations are host planning ideas, not observations from user testing.

Your printable materials

Original starter materials below. Print at 100% scale; turn off browser headers and footers. Select Letter or A4. Review the preview before making a batch.

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Make room for everyone

Invite guests to take a turn or pass. Explain the rules before starting, choose materials that suit your group, and offer a seated or read-aloud option when helpful.

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