Connect 4 online, with a friend
Drop your discs, line up four in a row, and send the board to a friend. Play live or one move at a time, right in your browser. Free, no download, no sign-up.
- 2 players
- About 5 min
- Watchable live
- Free, no sign-up
The classic four-in-a-row game, made for sending
Connect 4 is one of the great two-player strategy games: easy to learn in ten seconds, surprisingly deep once you play someone who thinks ahead. On BeatMe you start a game, make your first move, and send the link. Your friend taps it, accepts with their name, and the game lives in that link until someone wins.
You do not have to be online at the same time. Move whenever you like and BeatMe keeps the board. If you both are online, every disc drops live on both screens, and anyone else with the link can watch.
How to play Connect 4
Start a challenge
Type your name, choose who goes first and start. You get a short beatme.link link to send.
Drop your discs
Players take turns dropping a disc into one of the seven columns. It falls to the lowest free space.
Four in a row wins
Line up four of your discs horizontally, vertically or diagonally. If the board fills up first, it is a draw.
Rematch on the same link
Tap Rematch and go again. The first move switches sides and BeatMe keeps the series score.
Connect 4 strategy: how to win more often
- Own the middle. The centre column is part of more possible lines than any other. Starting there is the strongest first move.
- Think in threats. A row of three with an open fourth space forces your opponent to block. Two threats at once usually win the game.
- Watch the space under a threat. Never drop a disc that lets your opponent play directly on top of it into a winning spot.
- Odd and even rows matter. The first player tends to win on odd rows (1, 3, 5 from the bottom), the second player on even rows. Build your threats where the timing works for you.
- Block early. An open-ended two in a row on the bottom row can become an unstoppable threat. Cap it before it grows.
Why play Connect 4 on BeatMe?
Most Connect 4 sites make you sit in a lobby waiting for a stranger. BeatMe is built for playing the people you actually know: one link, any messenger, and a preview card that shows who challenged whom. Every finished game gives you a result card you can post, and a replay so you can relive the move that won it.
Connect 4 FAQ
Can I play Connect 4 online with a friend for free?
Yes. Start a game on this page, send the link, and your friend plays in their browser. It is free, with no app, no account and no ads in the way of the board.
Do we have to play at the same time?
No. Each player moves whenever they like. The link keeps the game for 48 hours after the last move. If you are both online, moves show up live.
Who goes first in Connect 4?
You choose when you start the challenge. In a rematch the first move switches to the other player, so it stays fair over a series.
Is the first player at an advantage?
With perfect play, the first player can always win by starting in the centre column. Between humans that hardly matters: mistakes decide almost every game.
Can other people watch our game?
Yes. The first person to accept the link plays. Everyone else who opens it watches live, and can replay the game when it is over.
What is the board size?
The classic seven columns and six rows, 42 spaces in all.
