Reversi rules: Black moves first and every legal move must flip a disc
Reversi is played on an 8×8 board. Four discs begin in the center in a diagonal Black-and-White pattern, and Black moves first. On your turn, place a disc on an empty square that brackets one or more opponent discs in a straight horizontal, vertical or diagonal line between the new disc and another disc of your color. Every bracketed line flips.
If you have no legal move, you must pass; you cannot choose to pass when a legal move exists. The game ends when the board is full or neither player can move. The player with more discs at the end wins, and equal counts are a draw.
Beginner strategy: corners, mobility and why early disc count can fool you
Corner discs can never be flipped, which makes the four corners uniquely valuable. Squares immediately beside an empty corner are often dangerous because a careless move can give the corner away.
Mobility means the number and quality of legal moves available. In the opening and middle game, a move that flips fewer discs but restricts the opponent can be stronger than a move that creates a large temporary disc lead. Ask what choices your move leaves next, not only how many discs it flips now.
Edges and endgames make more sense when you study positions from your own games
Edges are not automatically safe; their value depends on whether they are anchored by a corner and how the remaining moves can attack them. In the endgame, fewer empty squares mean exact move order and forced replies matter much more.
After a practice game, ReversiWise highlights major mistakes and lets you retry the position. Those mistakes are grouped into Opening, Mobility, Edge Play, Corner Safety and Endgame, so the next lesson can come from what you actually struggled with instead of a generic checklist.
FAQ
Who moves first in Reversi?
Black always moves first under the standard rules used by ReversiWise.
What happens if I have no legal move?
You must pass and the opponent moves again. If neither player has a legal move, the game ends.
What should a Reversi beginner learn first?
Protect corners, be careful with squares next to empty corners, and pay attention to mobility instead of trying to maximize disc count early.
Is Reversi the same as Othello?
The names are commonly used for closely related 8×8 disc-flipping games, but Othello is a trademarked name. ReversiWise uses the generic name Reversi.