Reversi Variations and House Rules

Reversi's core rule hardly changes from table to table: place a disc, trap a line, flip it. The differences are around the edges: how the game starts, who goes first, how a finished game is scored, and how friendly the players are about take-backs. This page covers the ones you are most likely to meet. Some of them can be set in our online game; the rest are here so you know what to expect elsewhere.

Rules You Can Change in Our Game

Who goes first

Dark always makes the first move, so "who goes first" really means "who plays dark". Families settle this in all sorts of ways: the youngest goes first, the loser of the last game goes first, or you toss a coin. Our game offers three choices in Settings:

• You go first with dark. The usual choice when you are learning. With two players on one device, Player 1 plays dark.
• The other side goes first. You play light and move second.
• Decide at random. The game number decides, so replaying the same game number gives the same colors.

Does moving first help? Very little. Expert play suggests the game is close to even with perfect play, and in ordinary games the better player wins with either color. Swapping colors from game to game is a good habit, because the opening feels different from each side.

Showing where you can move

On a real board, part of the skill is spotting your legal moves, and beginners often miss some. Our game marks every legal square with a dot, which we leave on by default: it saves eye strain and lets you think about which move is best rather than which moves exist. If you want the full challenge, turn off Show me where I can move in Settings. You can still tap any square to see what it would flip, and the game will tell you if a square isn't allowed.

One tap to play

By default, the first tap on a square only shows what would happen: a see-through disc appears and the discs that would flip are outlined. A second tap, or the Place Here button, plays it. This protects you from a slip of the finger, which on a phone screen is easy to make. Experienced players who find the second tap slow can switch on One tap to play.

Take-backs (Undo)

In club and tournament play a move is final once your hand leaves the disc. Around the kitchen table, most families are kinder, especially with children and new players. Reversi has no hidden information, so an undo gives nobody an unfair peek, and trying a move, seeing what happens, and taking it back is one of the best ways to learn. Allow Undo is on by default in our game. Against the computer, Undo takes back your last move together with the computer's reply. Turn it off in Settings if you want every move to count.

Other Variations You May Meet

The old free opening

In the earliest Reversi rules from the late 1800s, the board started empty. The players took turns placing their first two discs each on the four centre squares, wherever they liked, and only then did the trapping rule begin. That means the game could start with the discs crossed or side by side. The fixed crossed start used today makes games easier to compare and to study, which is why nearly everyone uses it now.

The parallel start

Some families set up the four centre discs side by side instead of crossed: two dark discs next to each other in one row and two light discs in the row below. The rules are otherwise the same, but the opening plays quite differently, with one side often getting an early edge. If you were taught this way, you will find the crossed start in our game a little more balanced.

Counting empty squares

When a game ends before the board is full, some clubs give the empty squares to the winner, so a 30–20 win with 14 empty squares is recorded as 44–20. This changes the margin of victory, not who wins, and matters only when you keep a running total over several games. Our game reports the plain disc count and says how many squares were left empty.

Corner handicaps

When a strong player meets a beginner, a traditional way to even things up is to give the weaker player one or more corners at the start: a disc of their color is simply placed in a corner before the first move. One corner is a big help; two is a lot. It is a good way for a grandparent and a grandchild to have a close game.

The losing game

In the "losing" or reverse version, the player with fewer discs at the end wins. All the usual rules apply, so you still have to trap and flip. It turns your instincts inside out: corners become a burden, and you try to force your opponent to flip your discs for you. It is a fun change once you know the ordinary game well.

Timed games

Clubs often play with a chess clock, giving each player a set amount of time for all their moves. At home there is no need for that, and our game never hurries you.

Ready to play? Head back to Reversi, or read the strategy guide first. If you enjoy two-player board games, you might also like Checkers.