What is Othello Game (Reversi)?

Othello game is a mind game that is played on a board.

  • A square 8x8 board is required for the game. You could use a chessboard.
     
  • On one side, there are 64 black discs, while on the other, there are 64 white discs.
     
  • The board will begin with two black discs and two white discs in the center.
     
  • They are organized in a North-East to South-West pattern with black.
     
  • A North-West to South-East direction is emerging in white.
     
  • At the end of the Othello game, the goal is to have the most color discs on the board.

Othello (Reversi) Games Online

  • Othello derived from the Reversi game, a considerably earlier board game.
     
  • This game has grown quite popular on computers as well as in the board format, in both its original name and the updated brand.
     
  • Othello is a two-player game that is sometimes referred to as an abstract strategy game.
     
  • The board, which is made up of 8 rows and 8 columns, is filled with pieces from both players in turn.
     
  • Each player's pieces will be one color, with black and white being the most popular.
     
  • The two games are played on the same kind of board and have the same pieces.
     
  • However, the rules for Reversi and Othello are different.
     
  • You can play Othello online or reversi online by downloading the games from the Google play store.

How to Play Othello Games Online?

Have a look at how to play Othello game below.

  • Players compete to have more of their pieces on the board at the end of the game than their opponent.
     
  • When there are no more places on the board or no more permitted movements for either competitor, the game is considered ended.

The Beginning

  • Both players start the game with two pieces in the four center squares on the board.
     
  • A small chequered pattern is created when no two matching colors are joined vertically or horizontally.
     
  • In most black-versus-white setups, the player with the black chips must make the first move.

The Situation

  • Both players take turns making their move, which entails placing one piece in a legally permissible position and then turning any of the other player's pieces as needed.
     
  • A legal move is one in which a black piece is put on the board in such a way that it forms a straight line. It can be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.
     
  • Must have a black piece at each end and only white pieces in the middle.
     
  • When a player achieves this, they must finish the move by turning any white pieces in between the two black, completing the line.
     
  • Every lawful turning line that is generated with the placement of the new piece must be completed with this turning action.
     
  • While the example assumes black as the moving player, it may be applied in either direction.
     
  • Players will then alternate moves until the game comes to a close and a winner is determined.
     
  • This judgment is made by determining who has the most pieces on the board between the two opponents.

Timing

  • There is an alternative technique of concluding a game for tougher or regulated games.
     
  • Players can begin by setting a time restriction for the total number of movements they can make.
     
  • The clock will begin counting down at the start of a player's first move and will be paused each time a player completes a turn while the clock of the opposing player is ticking down.
     
  • According to the world championship rules and regulations, time limits range from one minute for coffee break style desktop versions to thirty minutes.
     
  • This timing factor adds to the game's tension by requiring players to use not only a logical but also a concise and swiftly reacting approach.
  • This is because, regardless of the location or quantity of chips on the board, if one person's clock runs out of time, the player with no time has no choice except to forfeit the game and lose.

Othello Board Game Rules

  • The Othello board game is a strategy board game for two players.
     
  • One player takes on the role of black, while the other takes on the role of white.
     
  • Each player is given 32 discs, and the game is always started in black.
     
  • The game then switches back and forth between white and black until: a legitimate move to outflank the opponent cannot be made by one player or both players are out of options.
     
  • When a player's turn is over and he has no legitimate moves left, he passes his turn to the opponent.
     
  • A player cannot voluntarily surrender his turn.
     
  • The game concludes when neither player can make a valid move.
     
  • Valid Moves Black is always the first to move.
     
  • A player makes a move by placing a disc of their color on the board in a position that "out-flanks" one or more of the opponent's discs.
     
  • When a disc or row of discs is encircled on all sides by discs of the opposite color, it is called outflanked.
     
  • A disc can outflank any number of discs in any direction in one or more rows that are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal.
     
  • You must pass your turn if you are unable to outflank and flip at least one enemy disc.
     
  • You cannot, however, forfeit your turn if a move is available to you.
     
  • Once a disc is placed on a square, it cannot be moved to another square at any point throughout the game.
  • When a player runs out of discs but still has chances to outflank an opposing disc, the opponent must provide the player with a disc to utilize.

The Game Is Over

As per the Othello rules, the game is over when neither participant can advance any further. The discs are now counted, and the winner is the player who has the most of his or her color discs on the board. There is a chance of a tie.

Time Limitation

  • Players can begin by setting a time restriction for the total number of movements they can make. This aspect of timing adds to the game's tension.
     
  • The clock will begin counting down at the start of a player's first move and will be paused each time a player completes a turn while the clock of the opposing player is ticking down.
     
  • According to the world championship rules, several time limits are ranging from 5 minutes to 30 minutes.
     
  • No of what position or number of chips are on the board when one player's clock runs out of time, that player loses the game.

Handicaps

  • Because beginning first is an advantage, the more experienced player should offer it to the less experienced player.
     
  • When a highly competent player is pitted against a less skilled opponent, the skillful player may choose to play with a handicap by setting up the board in such a way that his weaker opponent wins a four-corner advantage.
     
  • If the talent gap isn't too great, one, two, or three corner advantages can be awarded.

How to Win in Othello Game?

Corners

  • It is not possible to flip discs that have been placed in the corners. If you can't take a corner, take the squares adjacent to it to lessen its efficacy.
     
  • If your opponent positions his piece diagonally adjacent to the corner in the beginning or middle of the game, all you need is any piece in that diagonal line to be your color to hop onto the corner.
     
  • However, the efficiency of a corner might be diminished if the opponent deploys a strong defense against it. While gaining a corner is unquestionably advantageous, gaining one or more corners does not guarantee victory in the game.
     
  • The squares immediately adjacent to the corners are also significant. It is feasible to defeat the corners' strength by taking these positions.

Minimization of the Disc

In the vast majority of cases, the player with the fewest discs wins. As a result, good Othello players will frequently select movements that flip the fewest discs possible, preferably only one.

Squares of X

By avoiding the "X" squares, you can safeguard the corners. These are the squares that form a circle around a corner.

Edges Should be Balanced

After the corners and neighboring spaces, the borders of the board are the next most essential squares to control.

Outflanking the Inner Rows May Always be Done with the Edge Rows

A skilled player can attack an uneven edge by giving you a corner to take the other corner and the entire edge in between.

Be Aware Of The "Danger Zone"

  • Because a disc in these rows could represent your opponent's bridge to a corner or an outside edge position, the next rows in from the four edge rows could be termed a "danger zone."
     
  • This "danger zone" is shown by the darker dots on the board.

Moves Can be Saved for Later

Moves that you can make but that your opponent won't be able to make should be saved until last.

Diagonals

At the endgame, try to keep the diagonals under control. You'll be able to play an X square without losing the corner this way.

In the Beginning, Keep It Quiet.

  • Avoid flipping too many pieces in the early stages of the game.
     
  • This is the key to becoming a better Othello player. Loud maneuvers or moves that flip a lot of discs provide your opponent with a lot of possibilities for the next move.
     
  • When you occupy the fewest cells at the start of the game, you have more possibilities and your opponents have fewer choices.

Stay in the Middle

  • The most crucial component in the midgame of Othello is movement, therefore try to stay in the center and keep your pieces surrounded by your opponents.
     
  • C-squares that are isolated can cause problems.
     
  • C-squares (B1, G1, A2, H2, A7, H7, B8, and G8) are found at corners and on the edges.
     
  • Placing a disc there without another disc nearby can cause problems for a beginner, as that position can be exploited by a more experienced player.

Reduce the Options Available to Your Opponent

  • The fundamental goal of the midgame is to maximize the number of possible moves while limiting the number of moves made by your opponent.
     
  • Your opponent will have fewer options if you keep your pieces together.

"Edge Creeping" Should be Avoided

Playing the edges may exhaust your novice or intermediate player's moves, but you're simply playing right into the experienced player's hands.

Walls Should be avoided

Long, uninterrupted lines of one-color discs seal one side of the board.

Unforced Error

It's usually a good idea to play in a region with an odd number of empty squares if you're forced to make a terrible move late in the game.

Othello Game Winning Strategies

  • While the move that flips the most discs may be the most appealing, the less dramatic move is sometimes the wiser choice.
     
  • A complete block of one hue, especially when backed up against a corner or side, is frequently the difference between winning and losing the game.
     
  • Aggressively invading a solid block of one color, on the other hand, can often turn the game around.

Nowadays many types of board games are available on the web. You can play Othello online with your smartphone. To play the Othello game online, you can download the app from the play store as well.

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Reversi Game FAQs

1.) How do you play the game Othello?

8x8 square board is used to play Othello. On one side, there are 64 black discs, while on the other, there are 64 white discs. The goal of players is to have the most color discs on the board.

2.) Is Othello harder than chess?

Yes. Othello is harder than chess.

3.) How do you always win at Reversi?

You will usually win the Reversi game if you can get the corners.

4.) Is Reversi difficult?

Reversi is a simple game to pick up, but it is ultimately a strategy game. Each piece you place has an impact on the game's overall outcome.

5.) How do you play Reversi in Othello?

The two games look similar. However, the rules for Reversi and Othello are different.