Overview
Learn the basic Reversi-style game of trapping and flipping opposing discs.
Objective
Finish the game with more discs showing your colour than your opponent.
What You Need
8×8 board and reversible black/white discs
Setup
Place four discs in the four centre squares in a diagonal pattern: two of each colour. Each player chooses a colour.
How to Play
On your turn, place one disc so that one or more straight lines of opposing discs are trapped between the new disc and another disc of your colour. Flip all trapped discs to your colour.
Key Rules
Lines may be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. A legal move must flip at least one opposing disc. If you have no legal move, you pass; if neither player can move, the game ends.
Useful Terms
- Disc: A two-sided playing piece.
- Legal move: A placement that encloses at least one opposing disc in a straight line.
- Flip: Turn enclosed opposing discs to your colour.
- Mobility: The number of legal moves available to a player.
Rules in More Detail
A single move can flip discs in several directions at once: horizontal, vertical and diagonal. Only uninterrupted lines enclosed between the newly placed disc and an existing disc of your colour are flipped. If you have no legal placement you pass; the game continues if the opponent can move.
Winning the Game
When the board is full or neither player has a legal move, count the discs. The player with more discs showing their colour wins.
Worked Example
If a row contains one of your discs, then two opposing discs, followed by an empty square, placing your disc in that empty square traps and flips the two opposing discs.
Strategy Tips
- Corners are powerful because captured corner discs cannot be flipped.
- Avoid giving your opponent easy access to a corner.
- Having the most discs early is not always an advantage.
- Look for moves that limit your opponent’s choices.
Beginner Notes
Corners are permanently stable once occupied and are therefore extremely valuable. Squares directly beside an empty corner can be dangerous because they may allow the opponent to take that corner.
Common Mistakes
- Placing a disc without flipping anything.
- Flipping discs that are not enclosed in a straight line.
- Ending the game simply because one player has no move; that player passes if the opponent can still move.
Variations & House Rules
Commercial Othello and traditional Reversi-style play can differ in historical setup details. This guide uses the familiar modern centre-four starting position.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I place a disc anywhere empty?
No. The move must trap and flip at least one opposing disc.
What if I cannot move?
Pass if your opponent has a legal move.
Do diagonal lines count?
Yes.
Score Card
Open the CS17 fillable Reversi-Style Game Sheet to enter player names and game results on screen, then print it or save it as a PDF.