F U N W A RE FOR PROGRAM N? • ATARI 09930016 FOUR-IN- A-RCW Drop your pieces into stacks to be the first to make a row of four. Playing the computer or an opponent, you drop your pieces, one-at-a-time, into the eight stacks. You're trying to stack four-in-a-row, either up, across or diagonally, but then so is your opponent. Stack a row of four first, and you win. Ages 5 to adult. 39895 25015 FOUR-IN-A-ROW™ / DATABAR SOFTWARE F U N W A R E FOUR-IN-A-RCW THINKING AHEAD F our -in-a-Row ™ is a totally fascinat- ing game for two that puts a premium on thinking ahead — way ahead. Superficially the game resembles an extended version of Tic-Tac-Toe. In fact, however, Four-in-a-Row ™ is a deeply strategic game that may never exhaust your interest. No matter how often you play, you will find new strat- egies for victory. The object of the game is decep- tively simple: place four X’s or four O’s in a row — vertically, horizontally or diagonally — and you win (see illustra- tions 1 to 3). But the key to winning consistently is seeing ahead — plan- ning what effect a given move will have on both you and your opponent one or two moves down the line and how that opponent is likely to respond. In-A-Row Tactics Some of the strategies of other “in- a-row” games can be applied, but with a twist. The key to winning in Tic-Tac- Toe, for example, is getting the oppo- nent in a position where he can block only one of two imminent 3-in-a-rows. In Pente, where 5-in-a-row wins, suc- cessful players usually win by getting four pieces lined up with both ends open. The opponents can only block one end and they win on the next turn. The big difference in Four-in-a-Row ™ is the effect of gravity. You can’t sim- ply place the X’s and O’s anywhere you want. They have to be piled up from the bottom. You may have three X’s and O’s in a row horizontally, but unless you can deliver one more on either end on the next move, your opponent will be able to block you — or score 4-in-a-row while you’re concen- trating on your game. Illustration 4 shows an unbeatable position. Even though it is Player 2’s move (with the X’s), Player 1 will win on his next turn. Illustration No. 1 Illustration No. 2 + + + - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + X + + + + X 0 + + + + X 0 X + + 0 0 X X X X + + X 0 0 0 X -1- + X 0 X X 0 0 0 + + + + - + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Player 1 has just won by placing his fourth X in stack i, making four-in-a-row diagonally. Here Player 1 wins again by dropping an X in stack 5, making four-in-a-row horizontally. Illustration No. 3 -1- + + + + + + + + 0 + + 0 + + 0 X + + 0 X 0 + + X X 0 X X + -1- + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Player 2 wins this game by making a vertical stack , dropping his 0 on the second stack. Illustration No. 4 -1- — -1- + + + + + + + + + + + X + + 0 0 X X X + + X 0 0 0 X X 0 + + -- + 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 This is a “won” position for Player i, even though it is Player 2’s turn. Wherever Player 2 places an 0, Player 1 will complete a horizontal four-in-a-row. MM He can win by pressing either 3 or 7, and Player 2 can only block one of them. As you gain experience you will learn to recognize other winning posi- tions, and can start developing strate- gies for working toward them. But the time to start thinking is on the very first move. Program Instructions ■ Load the program into your computer with OSCAR. Then type RUN. (Refer to your User’s Manual if you have difficulties.) ■ Player 1 types the number of the stack he wants to drop an X on. Player 2 then does the same with O’s. ■ Play alternately until someone gets 4-in-a-row or until the playing board is full, which is a tie. ■ Type Y (yes) if you want to play another round. Type N (no) if you don’t. €> 1984 Databar Corp. FOUR IN A ROW™ PROGRAM PAGE ru FUNWARE™ 1 OF A “ SB ATARI® PROGRAM NO. 09930016 © 1983 DATABAR CORPORATION FOUR IN A RON™ FUNHARE™ PROGRAM PAGE r« 2 OF 4 I iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiia iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiii H ATARI PROGRAM NO. 09930016 © 1983 DATABAR CORPORATION FOUR IN A ROW™ PROGRAM PAGE ™ FUNWARE™ 3 OF 4 r Hi ATARI PROGRAM NO. 09930016 © 1983 DATABAR CORPORATION FOUR IN A ROW™ FUNWARE™ PROGRAM PAGE r* A OF A “ iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiii Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii H ATARI PROGRAM NO. 09930016 <£) 1983 OATABAR CORPORATION