Fourmove

Fourmove is a term used in turn-based strategy games and puzzle design to describe a planned sequence of four discrete actions by a single player that advances a strategic goal. The concept treats four moves as a unit of analysis, allowing players and researchers to study how early choices constrain later options and how a quartet of moves can yield a decisive advantage or secure a critical concession.

In practice, a fourmove sequence is identified as a candidate path toward an objective—such as gaining space, initiating a forcing sequence, or delivering a material or positional win. The analysis considers likely opponent replies within the four-move window and how each step narrows alternatives. Fourmove motifs are widely used in training materials to teach foresight, tempo management, and multi-move planning, and they also inform AI heuristics that prune search trees by prioritizing coherent four-step lines.

Although the term is not part of formal game-theory nomenclature, it is used across online strategy communities, puzzle anthologies, and game-design discussions to discuss recurring four-step patterns. By focusing on a short, verifiable sequence, players can practice pattern recognition and sequence construction without needing to master longer, more complex lines.

Related concepts include tactical sequences, forcing lines, multi-move plans, and pattern recognition in tactical play.