Quick answer
Reversi is played on an 8×8 board starting with four central discs. Place a disc to enclose and flip opposing discs in a straight line. Black moves first. When neither side can move, the player with more discs wins. This guide covers Othello rules · 8 × 8. Check the movement, capture and game-ending rules below before applying rules from another variant.
- Players
- 2
- Board
- 8 × 8 squares
- First move
- Black moves first.
Ruleset and sources: Othello rules · 8 × 8
How is the board set up?
Begin with four discs in the centre: two black and two white, with matching colours diagonally opposite. The remaining sixty squares are empty. Each move places one new disc.
What can you do on your turn?
Opening
Four discs start in the centre. Black moves first.
Place a disc
Every move must trap at least one opposing disc.
Flip discs
Flip all trapped discs horizontally, vertically and diagonally.
Pass
Pass only when you have no legal move.
Corners
A disc in a corner can never be flipped.
Finish
When neither player can place a disc, count both colours. More discs wins; equal counts draw.
Bracket and flip
Place a disc to bracket one or more opponent discs between it and a friendly disc along a straight line. Every bracketed line flips at once. A placement without a capture is illegal.
Pass and count
Pass only when no placement is legal. The game ends when neither player can place, even with empty squares remaining. The larger disc count wins.
What should beginners watch for?
Corners cannot be flipped once taken. Avoid giving away a corner just to flip many discs early; the final count decides the game.
Sources and rule verification
- Ruleset covered
- Othello rules · 8 × 8
This guide describes play on ChessPlayX. Platform-specific conventions are stated in the relevant sections; tournament administration may differ.
A separate rule-review date is not recorded for this guide. The update date is not a verification date.