How to Play Reversi

Reversi takes a minute to learn and much longer to master. Here are the rules and the strategy that wins games.

What is Reversi?

Black moves first. Place a disc so that one or more straight lines of white discs are trapped between your new disc and another black disc. All trapped discs flip to black. If you have no legal move you must pass. The game ends when neither player can move; most discs wins.

How to play Reversi

Tap a square with a yellow dot.

Step by step

1. Find a yellow dot: these are your legal moves.
2. Place your disc there.
3. Trapped discs in every direction flip to your colour.
4. Take turns until neither player can move.
5. Count the discs; most wins.

Strategy tips to play better

• Corners can never be flipped, so grab them when you can.
• Avoid the squares next to empty corners; they often give the corner away.
• Edges are strong too, but corners are stronger.
• Early in the game, flipping fewer discs is often better: it leaves your opponent fewer moves.

What kids learn

• Strategy
• Spatial reasoning
• Counting
• Thinking ahead

For parents and teachers

Reversi suits ages 6 and up and games last only a few minutes.