How to play Reversi
A practical guide to the objective, legal flow, and decisions that matter in this playable version.
Objective
Reversi ends when neither player can move, usually after the board fills. The player with more discs wins. A legal move brackets one or more opposing discs in a straight line, flipping every bracketed disc to your colour.
How a turn works
Choose an empty square that encloses at least one uninterrupted line of opposing discs between the new disc and one of your existing discs. Lines may be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, and one move can flip in several directions. If no legal move exists, the turn passes automatically.
Strategy that changes the outcome
Corners are permanently stable and often decide the game. Avoid giving the opponent easy access to them, limit frontier discs adjacent to empty squares, and value mobility over the largest immediate flip. Edge control is useful only when it does not surrender a corner or eliminate your future moves.
First decision: Stable corners and low frontier exposure are usually more valuable than flipping the largest number of discs immediately.
A common mistake to avoid
Flipping the most discs now can be strategically poor. A large early gain may expose many frontier discs and leave the opponent several strong replies.
Three useful table habits
- Count the opponent’s next legal moves, not only your flips.
- Treat squares beside an empty corner as dangerous.
- Preserve mobility until stable edge and corner opportunities appear.
A question players ask
Why was my Reversi turn skipped?
A player must pass when no empty square brackets an opposing line. The game continues with the other player and ends only when neither side has a legal move.
About this guide
We compare the rules shown in the game with the implemented legal moves, complete representative deals, and review desktop and mobile presentation. If a house rule changes play, the in-game How to play panel takes precedence. Read How games are researched and tested.