How to win at Reversi
Reversi (also known as Othello) takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Two players take turns placing discs on an 8×8 board. When you place a disc so that a line of your opponent's discs is trapped between it and another of your discs, those discs flip to your colour. When the board is full — or nobody can move — the player with more discs wins. Practise these tips in Reversi Evolved.
1. Corners are gold
A disc in a corner can never be flipped: there is no square beyond it to trap it from. Corners also help you build lines of discs along the edges that are just as safe. Many games are decided by who takes the corners first.
2. Avoid the squares next to the corners
The three squares touching each empty corner are dangerous. The diagonal one (often called the X-square) is the worst: placing a disc there usually lets your opponent take the corner. The two edge squares next to a corner (the C-squares) are risky for the same reason. Avoid them while the corner is still empty, unless you have no better move.
3. Fewer discs early on is often better
It is tempting to flip as many discs as possible, but in the opening and middle game this usually backfires. Many discs of your colour give your opponent many targets and many possible moves. Instead, aim for moves that flip only a few discs and keep your discs in the middle of the board. The player with more choices of move — more mobility — is usually the one in control.
4. Make your opponent run out of good moves
A strong idea is to leave your opponent with only bad options, such as the squares next to the corners. Quiet moves that do not open new lines for your opponent are your best friends.
5. Be careful with the edges
Edge squares are safer than the middle, but not completely safe: a disc on an edge can still be flipped along that edge. Take an edge square when it is stable or when it forces your opponent into a bad move, not just because it is there.
6. Count in the end game
In the last ten moves the advice changes: now every disc counts. Look at each possible move and count how many discs you would have at the end. Taking the last move in a region of the board is often worth a lot.
Practise against the computer
Start against an easier opponent, focus on one idea per game — corners first, then avoiding the X-squares, then playing quietly — and you will notice the difference quickly.
Play Reversi Evolved and try these ideas.
