How to Play Line4 9x8
Line4 9x8 is four-in-a-row - the game many know as Connect Four - played on a wider board: 9 columns by 8 rows. You and the Champion take turns dropping discs into columns; gravity pulls each disc to the lowest free cell. The first side to connect four discs horizontally, vertically, or diagonally wins. If the board fills up, the game is a draw.
Rules in short
- The board has 9 columns and 8 rows - wider and taller than the classic 7x6.
- Players alternate turns; a move means choosing a column, never a specific cell.
- Four in a row in any direction wins; the winning line is highlighted.
- A full board with no four-in-a-row is a draw.
Controls in the browser
- Click a column to drop your disc (gold). The Champion plays red.
- Keyboard: keys 1-9 drop into the matching column; Escape closes dialogs.
- Pick who moves first and a level from 1 to 8 - level 1 makes real beginner mistakes, level 8 is the strongest the browser runs - then press Play.
Starter strategy for the 9x8 board
- Fight for the center. The middle columns cross the most potential four-in-a-row lines - the Champion's opening book starts there for a reason.
- Build double threats. A single threat can be blocked; two open threats at once cannot. The wider board gives you more room to prepare them - and your opponent more room to hide theirs.
- Watch the diagonals. Most surprise losses come from diagonals growing quietly behind the front line.
- Mind the parity of columns. Every disc you drop lifts the landing row for the next disc - sometimes a "safe" move hands your opponent exactly the cell they needed.
Ready for more?
Train with the Win-in-2 Tactics puzzles, or read how the Champion AI actually chooses its moves. The full game - 500 puzzles and the two Max levels - is free on Google Play.
