Jonathan's Reversi Page
[Inroduction] [Rules] [Strategy] [Programs] [Internet Play] [Links]
Reversi, otherwise known as othello, is a great game in which two players of opposite color pieces take turns taking pieces of the opposite color, trying to get the most. Like chess, it is analytical and takes a little time to get good at ("a minute to learn...a lifetime to master!"). On this page, you will find out about introductory reversi strategy, good reversi programs to practice on or play against, places on the internet to play against other people, and links to other good reversi sites.
In reversi, two players take turns placing disks of opposite colors (each disk has a black and a white side) on an 8 by 8 board. One places a disk adjacent to the opponent's disk so that the opponent's disk or row of disks is directly in between that first player's disk and another of the person's disks. The player then flips, or "flanks," the opponent's disks to match his or her color and the two players take turns doing this until the board is full. If a player cannot move, he or she must pass, and the player with the most disks at the end wins the game wins. For a more detailed description of the rules, go here.
Othello is a game with very simple rules but very complex strategy. Its box reads "a minute to learn...a lifetime to master," and this is a very accurate description of the game. Please note that reading this won't make you an instant success, but through playing it and learning from your mistakes you can get better and better at it (although this should act as a catalyst for your learning by giving you some ideas and appreciation for its concepts). Always remember that the best way to learn good strategy for othello is to play it yourself.
The first thing that a beginner should know about reversi is that pieces are not necessarily good. One of the key concepts of reversi is one called mobility, meaning that having more availible moves than your opponent is better than having more pieces overall (at least in the early to middle game...after that, you'll have to start gaining pieces). A few of the key positions in reversi are the corners of the board. Because of their position, they cannot be taken, and likewise, pieces that build on the corners can also not be taken. This is a great way to secure many pieces and a probably win. Unfortunately, all new players will soon figure out how important these squares are. Because of the great advantage that the corners bring, both players will try to get there first. One way to use mobility to your advantage is to keep your pieces in between pieces of your opponent and to gradually try to run him or her out of good moves, forcing yourself into a corner. Mobility can be used in many ways to the player's advantage, but without good availible moves, a player can be forced by a good opponent into a loss.
Another key reversi concept is that of parity. Parity essentially means moving last in a closed area of play. For example, if there are only two spaces left on the board, the person who moves second, or has the parity, will gain more pieces than the first in that area. This can be expanded upon, as if there are four or even six open spaces in an area, the person who moves second will always have the advantage, as he or she will get the last move. Keeping parity in mind can help a person decide where to move next in order to keep a good position or in order to improve upon a bad one. Bearing this in mind, a person in a game that has one area on the board with five open spaces and a similar one with six should move into the area with five and utilize the advantage of parity. One way to help explain why parity can be so effective is by taking the concept of mobility into account. If there is an area on the board and the person with parity moves last in it, the other will be forced to open another area of the board and have fewer possible moves there. The second player moving starts with the parity and this can give a slight advantage over the course of the game (in my opinion, that is...I feel that the person playing black, or first, has better options for the openings, but the advantage of parity outweighs this). A smart thing for the first person to do, because of this initial disadvantage, might be to try and make the second person run out of moves for one turn, thus passing and reversing the parity.
There are many types of reversi strategy and many ideas that can be utilized in order to gain the advantage in it and to win. I have explored two main concepts of reversi, and there are countless others. After playing a lot and advising some newer players on it, however, I have concluded that the best methods of playing it are those invented by oneself. Just by playing you will notice what works and what doesn't and gradually devise better ways to play. You cannot instantly become a great player at othello, while you can improve by learning new things about it and incorporating new methods and ideas into your play. If you are interested in a more thorough strategy page, I highly recommend going to VOG's strategy page. Good luck with improving upon your strategy, and have fun playing!
Here are links to some interesting othello programs (sorry mac users, pc's only):