I make these games using kiln-dried walnut or cherry. The beads are birch. The finished hardwood box is five and one quarter inches square. Some of the boxes have handles to make it easier to carry around. This is one of the few board games that can be played during an earthquake or on a moving bus. I find it more exciting than checkers. Click on the small photos above to see a larger view. The object of Score Four is to position four beads of the same color in a straight line on any level or any angle. Beginners will often overlook a simple threat to score four; it is therefore important to always check all vertical, horizontal and diagonal possibilities before making a move. In a score four game in progress, one aims at forcing a win by making two threats simultaneously; conversely, one should prevent the opponent from doing so. Among good players trying to score four, the short term goal is to connect three balls, thereby preventing the opponent from playing in a certain column. Towards the end, the game then often turns into a complex counting match: both players try to score four by forcing the other to play a certain column.