Flip Your Opponent’s Pieces and Control the Board
Reversi is a classic strategy board game where you compete against another player or the computer. Your goal is to finish the match with more pieces of your color than your opponent.
The game uses a square board with eight rows and eight columns, giving you 64 spaces to play on.
Each player controls one color of round pieces. Depending on the version, these pieces may appear in black and white or other colors such as red and blue.
The rules are easy to understand, but winning requires careful planning.
One well-placed piece can change several of your opponent’s pieces into your own color.
Learn How to Flip Your Opponent’s Pieces
The main rule in Reversi involves trapping your opponent’s pieces.
You need to place one of your pieces on an empty square so that an opponent’s piece sits between two of your pieces.
The trapped piece flips over and changes to your color.
For example, imagine three spaces in a row.
The first contains your piece, the second contains your opponent’s piece, and the third is empty.
Placing your piece in the empty space traps the middle piece and changes it to your color.
You can make these captures horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
A single move can also flip several pieces in different directions.
Start With Four Pieces in the Middle
Every standard Reversi match begins with four pieces in the center of the board.
Two belong to each player.
The players then take turns placing new pieces onto empty squares.
You cannot place a piece anywhere you like. Every legal move must flip at least one opposing piece.
This rule makes planning important because the pieces already on the board determine where you can move next.
Sometimes, you may have several possible moves. At other times, only one position is available.
How to Play Reversi
Use your mouse to select an empty square on the board.
Choose a position that traps one or more opposing pieces between the piece you place and another piece of your color.
Click the square to make your move.
The trapped pieces turn over automatically.
The computer or other player then takes a turn.
If you have no legal moves, you must skip your turn.
The match ends when neither player can make another move.
The player with the most pieces wins.
Why the Corners Are Important
Reversi is not only about flipping as many pieces as possible during each turn.
A move that gives you several pieces now may help your opponent make a stronger move later.
The four corners are especially useful because a piece placed in a corner cannot be flipped.
Controlling corners can help you protect nearby spaces and increase your chances of winning.
Try thinking about what your opponent can do after your move.
Avoid giving away an empty corner without a good reason.
Practice Planning Ahead
Start by learning which squares allow you to flip an opponent’s piece.
Look for moves that give you control of useful areas of the board.
Try not to concentrate only on your current piece count. A player with fewer pieces can still win through better moves near the end.
Reversi helps children practice strategy, observation, and decision-making. Its simple rules make it easy to begin, while the changing board creates a different challenge during every match.