HOW TO WIN
CONNECT FOUR a comprehensive strategic guide
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Compiled by Lillie Honeycutt
INTRODUCTION Have you ever played a game of Connect Four and your opponent dominated the game? No fear, this comprehensive guide will teach you the tatics to win the classic game of Connect Four. Never lose another game again by learning more about helpful hints and what to do for the first move. Learn how to play the middle columns and how to play the Game Ending Spaces. Finally, you will also learn about Fork Threats to trap your opponent. Soon you will be dominating the game of Connect Four and any adversary will be stopped in their tracks.
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HOW TO WIN CONNECT FOUR
CONTENTS HELPFUL HINTS..................................................................... page 6 THE FIRST MOVE................................................................... page 9 ZUGZWANG............................................................................. page 13 GAME ENDING SPACES...................................................... page 14 FORK THREATS...................................................................... page 16 LAST WORDS.......................................................................... page 17
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HELPFUL HINTS To be able to win a game of Connect Four, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, it is important to anticipate the opponent’s next move. This will come with practice and as you notice patterns. Doing this helps you decide which steps to take to get you to your goal. Be intentional about which moves you place. Next, think ahead about how each move will benefit you. Think about possible moves and plan your next steps. If placing a piece will benefit your opponent, you can prevent it before it happens. Remember to utilize blocking. If your opponent has three pieces in a row, place your piece to block them. Remember, you need to play with an offense mindset. Although it is important to prevent your opponent from winning, you also need to make moves that will help you win. Over the next few pages, you will learn specific moves that will help you place your pieces in the most effective areas. Use a combination of horizontal, vertical, and diagonal arrangments so you have as many opportunities to get a four-in-a-row as you possibly can. It will also make it harder for your opponent to guess your strategy. Find a balance between setting up yourself for success and for blocking your opponent from getting too far ahead. 6
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HOW TO WIN CONNECT FOUR
THE FIRST MOVE The first thing that you as a player need to remember is that the best place on the board is in the middle. Playing in the middle will make it easier to create Zugzwangs (page 13) and Fork Threats (page 16). If you are playing first, it can be almost be guaranteed a win if the middle column is played. If the opponent plays first, but plays a column other than the middle, it allows you to make the game end on a draw. Continue playing in the middle columns for as long as possible, but if needed, choose corner spaces over edges. Remember that these are guidelines and they do not always guarentee success, but the odds of winning are increased. Keep in mind, that any pieces that are not vertical in row, will need a piece in the middle column to be a four-in-a-row, such as diagonal or horizontal. Gaining control of the middle column creates higher chances for winning. In the next few pages, there are several different tatics that can be used to achieve a desired result. The goal of placing the pieces is to create a Threat. Threats are when there are three pieces together and only require one more piece to become a four-in-a-row. A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC GUIDE
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HOW TO WIN CONNECT FOUR
ZUGZWANG Zugzwang is the biggest advantage of players in the game of Connect Four. This technique is also used in the game of Chess. So what is Zugzwang? It is when one player will lose no matter the move made. For example, there are two places that the red will be able to win. Demonstrated in white are two possible spaces that red can win with. Unfortunately for yellow, red will win regardless of the move that yellow will do as demonstrated by the bottom diagram. Using strategy, you will be able to create a situation that you are able to win every time. How to create a Zugzwang: 1. Play in the middle collumns. 2. Choose if you want your Zugzwang to take place on the first row or the second row. 3. Place majority of pieces in the chosen row: - First Row: place pieces in odd rows: 1,3,5. - Second Row: place pieces in even rows: 2,4,6. If needed, place pieces in the first row to then follow up by placing the pieces above it in the second row. 4. Eventually threat will be completed.
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GAME ENDING SPACES Game Ending Spaces are exactly what they sound like. They are spaces that once played in will end the game. This section serves as a reminder to be on the lookout for these places on the game board. Your goal is to play your pieces in the Game Ending Spaces as soon as it allows you to win. However, avoid allowing your opponent to play in these places. Remember, that pieces about the Game Ending Spaces become irrelevant and no longer need to be considered in the game strategy. (As demonstrated in the diagram). It is also important to note that you should never play below a Game Ending Space. This will prevent you from winning if it is your pieces that form a Threat. On the flip side, it also means that the opponent will also be able to play if the space below the Game Ending Space is played. By using Zugzwangs, you can force your opponent to play below a Game Ending Space. This does not work for all Zugzwangs, but for the majority of them it can. Use Game Ending Spaces to your advantage.
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FORK THREATS Fork Threats are a type of Zugzwang. Fork Threats are when a single piece is played that allows there to be two different places that can be played to win. The example below shows that even if yellow plays above the vertical threat or the diagonal threat, red will still win. Another common Fork Threat can be created using pieces to create a ^ by first playing two side pieces, then playing the middle piece. (Shown on page 7). That creates a Zugzwang that the opponent will play either side of the fork, but will still lose.
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LAST WORDS Now that you have read through the contents of this book, you will be well on your way to becoming a master at Connect Four. Using these tips, you will be able to crush your opponent. Keep practicing and playing to become the best that you can be. Final tip: find a player who is colorblind because it will be easier to win. Best of luck playing Connect Four! Special Thanks to Hasbro Inc. for the photographs. Special Thanks to the research compiled by Victor Allis and other researchers that contributed to solving the game of Connect Four.
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