Ketafors

How to play Ketafors

The goal

Score more points than your opponent by making lines of your chips. In a race, be the first to reach the target. In Fill the board, have the higher total when every space is full.

The rules

1. Players take turns choosing a column. Your chip falls to the lowest empty space in it.

2. A line is three or more of your chips in a straight row: across, up and down, or diagonal.

3. Lines score by length:

   Line	Points
   Three	1
   Four	2
   Five	5
   Six	10
   Seven	15

   From five on, each extra chip adds 5 more points.

4. Only the longest stretch counts. A line of five is worth 5, and the threes and fours inside it don’t score again.

5. Growing a line replaces its old value. Turning a four into a five takes it from 2 points to 5, so you gain 3. Filling the gap between your three and your two makes one line of six, worth 10.

6. Each direction counts on its own, so one chip can complete lines in several directions at once.

7. Chips never leave the board, so scores only go up.

How a round ends

• Race to a target (10, 20, 30 or 50 points): the first player to reach the target wins at once. If the board fills first, the higher score wins.
• Fill the board: play until every space is full. The higher score wins.
• In either goal, equal scores at the end are a draw.

New rounds alternate who goes first. The match score counts rounds won and draws, and resets when you change the setup.

Ways to play

• Opponents: the computer at easy, medium or hard, or pass and play with a friend on one device.
• Boards: small 7 × 6, medium 8 × 7, large 9 × 8 or grand 10 × 9.
• New match opens the goal, target, board and opponent.

Controls

Tap or click a column. With a keyboard, Tab to the board, use ← and → to choose a column (Home and End jump to the edges), then press Enter or Space. The number keys 1 to 9, and 0 for column 10, drop straight into that column.

Undo takes back your last move, and the computer’s reply too. Hint suggests a column. Lines shows or hides the strokes through scored lines.

Settings

• Lines on the board draws a stroke through every scored line: faint for threes, heavier for fours, with a gold glow from five up.
• Line tally shows each player’s lines by length under their score, such as “3s ×4 · 4s ×2”.
• Line values tags each line on the board with its points. It shows while lines are on.
• Appearance sets the light, the backdrop, the board finish and the chips, including wood, sea glass and gemstones. Your round stays as it is.

Tips

• A four that can still grow is a threat: one more chip adds 3 points. Block it or beat it.
• Two short lines with a gap between them can join into one long line. Watch for gaps, yours and your opponent’s.
• The space above a chip becomes playable once the chip lands. Before you drop, check what it opens up for your opponent.

Questions

Is the computer unbeatable? No. Every level is built to be beaten. Hard looks a move ahead of you, so plan two.

Can a round end in a draw? Yes, when the board is full and the scores are equal.

Do I need an account? No. Your match saves on this device automatically. An optional account adds cloud saves across devices.