Where will this token land?
Orange to move. Predict the landing square in each open column. Test a drop and undo it. A floating empty square is not a playable destination.
PRACTICE COLLECTION
Four in a Row — Foundations: read the board before moving
Four studies in legal moves and their immediate effects. Make a prediction, test it, and compare the starting-position answer.
Print these four studies with answers
Use a prediction, a test and a reason
- Read the task before opening the answer. Say where a move lands or what it changes.
- Test it on the playable board. In two-player studies, play both sides to inspect a reply.
- Undo and compare one alternative. Use the answer’s stated search limit when explaining the result.
- Repeat the decision on paper, where the move cannot be checked for you automatically.
These are teaching groups, not a player-tested difficulty ladder. The four board IDs match the technique examples, individual study pages and print pack.
A stack changes the destination
Violet to move. Predict the landing square in each open column. Test a drop and undo it. A floating empty square is not a playable destination.
Take the win on this turn
Violet to move. Find a move that wins immediately before considering a defensive move.
Check every winning column
Violet to move. Find a move that wins immediately before considering a defensive move.
Bring the idea to a fresh round
An immediate win can be checked exactly by making a legal drop and inspecting all lines. A forced defensive move or fork claim must also check the opponent's immediate winning replies. A local threat calculation is not a full-game solver or a promise of perfect play. Statements about central control or future shapes are strategic guidance unless a complete response analysis is supplied. The regular game has two local human players, not a computer opponent.
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