The Connect 4 game was designed in the 1970s by David Wexler. His desire to create a “vertical” game led him to invent Connect 4. Read about how the game was created here.
Connect 4 is a two-player game similar to Tic-Tac-Toe. It is played on a 6 x 7 grid (with 6 rows and 7 columns). Players choose a color, and take turn dropping their colored chips from the top row down a column. The first player to get four chips in a row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) wins!
Play the game HERE.
Question: How many possible winning 4-in-a-row positions are there?
Question: Could you find a strategy to ensure that you always win if you go first?
The Connect 4 game has been solved mathematically. In fact, if you start first and play perfectly, you can always win!
Question: How about we keep the same board (6 rows and 7 columns) and play Connect 3? Or Connect 5?