Connect 4 Five Ways to Play employs our new grid whereby a player can pull down a checker from the bottom row along with the addition of insertable side panels. The ability to pull down a checker in lieu of placing a checker on top of a column was introduced several years ago. Its patented design allows a checker to be pulled down one at a time without disturbing the rest of the checkers in the column. Along with this new optional play pattern is the ability to place all the checkers in the grid when finished playing. There is a locking mechanism, which allows the checkers within the grid to be captured and thus serves as a carrying case.