What Othello Is and the Goal
Othello is a two-player abstract strategy game played on an eight-by-eight board with 64 discs that are dark on one side and light on the other. Players take turns placing a disc of their color and flipping the opponent’s discs that they trap. When the game ends, whoever has more discs of their color on the board wins.
The main point of Othello is not to have the most discs early on. It is to control the board so that you have good moves available late in the game. A player who is far ahead in disc count in the middle of a game can still lose.
Setup
- Place the board between the two players. The board is a plain grid of 64 squares.
- Put four discs in the central squares: two of each color, arranged diagonally so that matching colors sit on opposite corners of the central block.
- Each player takes one color. Dark traditionally moves first.
How a Turn Works
On your turn you place one disc of your color on an empty square. The move is only legal if it flanks (traps) at least one opposing disc in a straight line between the disc you just placed and another disc of your color that is already on the board.
- Lines can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
- Every opposing disc in the flanked line is flipped to your color.
- One placement can flip discs in several directions at once.
- Only discs directly trapped by the new disc are flipped. Newly flipped discs do not start chain reactions.
- The flanked line must be unbroken. An empty square in the middle means nothing in that direction is flipped.
If a square does not flank anything, you cannot play there.
When You Have No Legal Move
If you cannot flank any opposing discs with any placement, you must pass and your opponent plays again. You are not allowed to pass if you have a legal move. Passing is a normal part of the game and usually happens in the later stages.
How the Game Ends and Who Wins
The game ends when the board is full or when neither player has a legal move. Players then count their discs. The player with more discs wins, and equal counts are a draw. Because a game can end before every square is filled, count the discs on the board rather than assuming a result.
Beginner Strategy
These ideas are widely used by players and are good starting points:
- Corners are valuable. A disc in a corner cannot be flanked, so it tends to stay your color.
- Be careful next to corners. The squares beside a corner can give your opponent access to it.
- Mobility matters. Having more legal moves than your opponent usually matters more than having more discs in the middle of the game.
- Do not flip too many discs too early. Fewer discs can give you more options later.
Othello vs Reversi
Othello is a version of the older game Reversi and the two are very similar. A commonly noted difference is the starting position: in Othello the first four discs are placed in a fixed diagonal pattern, while some Reversi rules let players place the opening discs themselves. Other differences depend on which rule set is used, so check the rules you are playing under.
FAQ
What is the main point of Othello? To have more discs of your color than your opponent when the game ends, which usually means controlling the board and keeping your options open.
How do I win? Focus on corners, limit your opponent’s moves and avoid flipping too many discs early.
Is Othello harder than chess? The rules of Othello are simpler, with one type of piece and one kind of move, so most people find it quicker to learn. Strong play in either game takes a lot of study, so it is hard to say one is harder in general.