About Reversi

Reversi was invented in England in the 1880s and remains one of the most popular abstract board games. Many players know the modern form as Othello, which uses the same flipping rule with a fixed starting position. The game is famous for swings: a player who looks beaten with ten moves left can still finish with most of the board.

This version uses the standard setup of four discs placed diagonally in the centre of an 8x8 board. Dark moves first. A move is legal only if it brackets at least one line of opposing discs between the new disc and another of your own, in any of the eight directions, and every bracketed disc is flipped. Legal squares are shown on the board, so you never have to guess.

If you have no legal move, your turn is passed automatically and your opponent plays again. The game finishes when neither side can move, usually when the board is full, and the player with more discs wins. Equal counts are a draw. Each move has a 60-second limit and a game runs about five minutes. The bot opponent values corners and mobility, so it is a serious test.

How to play Reversi

The aim is to have more discs of your colour on the board than your opponent when the game ends.
The game starts with two dark and two light discs arranged diagonally in the four centre squares. Dark moves first.
On your turn, place a disc on an empty square so that one or more straight lines of opposing discs lie between it and another disc of your colour.
All the opposing discs trapped in those lines are flipped to your colour. Lines can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal, and one move can flip in several directions.
A move that flips nothing is not allowed. If you have no legal move, your turn is skipped and your opponent moves again.
You have 60 seconds for each move.
The game ends when neither player can move. The player with more discs wins, and an equal count is a draw.

Rules checked against the game on 2026-09-01.

Reversi tips and strategy

Corners cannot be flipped once taken, so they anchor everything around them. Take a corner whenever it is offered.
Stay off the squares next to an empty corner, especially the one diagonally adjacent. Playing there usually gives your opponent the corner on their next move.
Do not chase a big disc count early. Having fewer discs in the opening and middle game often leaves you with more legal moves and your opponent with fewer.
Think in terms of mobility. A position where your opponent has only one or two legal moves lets you steer them into giving up corners and edges.
Prefer quiet moves that flip a few discs in the interior over moves that open new edges of the position, since exposed discs give the other side more places to play.
In the last few moves, count. Getting the final move in a region of the board often decides close games, and forcing a pass can give you two moves in a row.

Reversi FAQ

Is reversi the same as Othello?

Almost. Both use the same board and flipping rule. Othello is the standardised modern version that always starts with four discs placed diagonally in the centre, which is the setup used here. Original reversi let players place those first four discs themselves.

What happens if you cannot move in reversi?

Your turn is passed automatically and your opponent moves again. You are not allowed to pass by choice when a legal move exists. If neither player has a legal move, the game ends and the discs are counted.

Who moves first in reversi?

The dark discs always move first. On the opening move dark has four legal squares, all equivalent by symmetry, so the real decisions begin with light's reply and dark's second move.

Why are corners so important in reversi?

A disc can only be flipped when it is bracketed in a line, and a corner square has no line running through it. A corner disc is therefore permanent, and it lets you build edge discs beside it that also become impossible to flip.

Can a game of reversi end before the board is full?

Yes. The game stops as soon as neither player has a legal move, which can happen with empty squares remaining or when one side has lost every disc. The winner is still whoever has more discs at that point.

How many players do I need for Reversi?

Reversi supports exactly 2 players. If a full table of real people isn't ready when you queue, MultiplayerHub fills the empty seats with bots instantly so the match starts without waiting.

Do I need to download anything or sign up to play Reversi?

No. Reversi runs entirely in your browser tab — no app install, no account, no email required. Pick a name and you're matched within seconds.

Is Reversi really free?

Yes, no catch — Reversi is ad-supported rather than pay-to-play, so there is no subscription or in-game purchase to unlock anything.

Can I play Reversi with a specific friend instead of strangers?

Create a private room from the Reversi page to get a shareable room code, or enter a code a friend already sent you to jump straight into their table.