# Classic 2048

The familiar four-by-four puzzle: slide equal numbers together and build a 2048 tile. Take your time; there is no clock or move budget.

## Play

The playable board loads above these notes when JavaScript is enabled. Choose Start your trail, then use the arrow keys, a swipe or the direction buttons.

## The rules of Classic 2048

- Board: sixteen cells in four rows and four columns.
- New tiles: 2s (90%) and 4s (10%).
- Merges: Double equal numbers; 2 + 2 makes 4.
- Goal: reach 2048.
- A blocked move does not add a tile or count as a move.

## Read one move

A left move transforms this row as shown, before the next tile appears elsewhere on the board:

```
Before: 2 2 4 .
After:  4 4 . .
```

Each tile can merge once per move. A tile just created by a merge cannot immediately join another tile during the same swipe.

## A useful first exercise

Keep your largest tile near a chosen corner, then build its matching partner along an edge. A score increase is useful only if the resulting board still has room.

Start with the corner exercise: predict where your largest tile will finish before each of your next ten moves.

## Controls and saved rounds

Choose Start your trail, then use arrow keys, board swipes or the four direction buttons. Trail tip suggests a legal direction without changing the board. End round records an early stop; after an ending, New trail prepares another attempt. Your unfinished round and this mode's best score stay in this browser when storage is available. Changing a theme does not change a tile.

For the complete controls, read [how to play](../how-to-play.html). Compare [all nine variants](../variants-guide.html), choose [another game](../games.html), or work through the [practice lab](../practice-lab.html).