Reversi

What is Reversi?

Reversi is the classic game of outflanking on an 8×8 board. Every disc is the same on both faces except for its colour, and a single move can turn a whole row of your rival's discs into yours. The board swings back and forth until the last square is filled, which is why a winning position can come from nowhere in the final moves.

Here you play the rose discs against a cyan rival at three levels: an easy one that grabs whatever looks good right now, a medium one that reads three moves ahead, and a hard one that reads five and knows the value of every corner.

How to play

The game starts with four discs in the centre, and you move first. On your turn, tap one of the marked squares.

• Outflank. Your new disc must close at least one straight line of cyan discs, across, down or diagonally, between itself and another rose disc.
• Flip. Every cyan disc in every line you close turns rose, in all directions at once.
• Pass. If you have no move, you pass and the rival plays again; the same holds for the rival.
• The end. When neither side can move, the side with more discs wins. A win scores 100 plus your margin, a draw scores 50.

Strategy tips

1. Take the corners. A disc in a corner can never be flipped back, and it anchors the edges next to it.
2. Stay away from the squares next to an empty corner. Playing there usually hands the corner to your rival.
3. Fewer discs can be better early on. What matters in the middle game is how many moves you have and how few your rival has.
4. Watch the edges. A long edge of your colour is strong only if it cannot be outflanked from the side.
5. Count at the end. In the last ten moves the discs themselves are all that matter; look for the move that flips the most.

FAQ

Is Reversi free to play?

Yes. Like every game on Play, it runs free in your browser, with no download and no account needed.

Is Reversi the same as Othello?

Othello is a trademarked commercial version of the same game, with a fixed opening. Reversi is the older, generic name for the game of outflanking discs.

What happens if neither of us can move?

The game ends at once, even with empty squares left, and the side with more discs wins.

How strong is the hard rival?

It reads five moves ahead, values corners, mobility and edges, and in our measurements beat the medium rival nine games out of ten.

How is my score counted?

A win scores 100 plus the difference between your discs and the rival's, so a perfect wipeout reaches 164. A draw scores 50 and a loss 0.