Reversi
In Reversi you trap the computer's discs between two of yours and they change colour. Free, no install, no sign-up, works offline in your browser.
In Reversi you place a disc so that a line of the computer's discs is trapped between two of yours, and every disc in that line flips to your colour. The board starts even and the side with the most discs at the end wins.
about 15.7 KB
Works offline after the first visit. No install, no sign-up.
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How to play Reversi
How a legal move works
You may only place where a straight line of the opponent's discs is closed off by one of your own at the far end. Lines run in all eight directions, so a single square can flip discs in several directions at once.
The opening is tiny, the ending is everything
The board starts with four discs in the middle and only four legal moves. Early on there is almost nothing to do, and the last few moves decide almost the whole round, because that is when the biggest flips happen.
Fewer discs early is often better
Having more discs in the middle of a round usually means fewer places to move and more ways to be flipped. It is normal to be behind on count for most of the round and win at the end.
If you have no legal move, your turn is skipped
Rather than leaving you stuck, the game tells you that the turn passes. If neither side can move, the round ends and the discs are counted.
Corners cannot be taken back
A disc in a corner can never be flipped, because there is no line beyond it to trap it. Corners are the squares worth planning around from the first move.
Reversi Tips and Strategy
Corners never flip
A disc on a corner is the one piece that can never be turned, so it is worth more than any number of discs elsewhere. Take a corner the first time one is genuinely offered, and do not fill the whole board in pursuit of a bigger count.
Do not fear losing discs
The disc total in the middle of the game says very little about the final score. Sacrifice discs freely to reach corners and open flanks, because discs are replaceable and corners are not.
Watch the diagonal squares
The square diagonally next to a corner gives the opponent a route into that corner, and the computer deliberately avoids playing there. Taking it yourself first is the cheapest way to shut that door for good.
Reversi — Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my turn get skipped?
Because you had no legal move — every empty square failed to trap a line. The turn passes automatically and the game says so, rather than leaving you tapping at a board that refuses everything.
How does a round end?
It ends when the board is full or when neither side has a legal move. Discs are then counted and the larger colour wins.
Is being ahead early good?
Usually not. More discs in the middle of a round means fewer squares you can legally play and more discs the opponent can flip in one move.
Does it need installing or an account?
No. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer and works offline after the first visit.
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