Pastime Arcade

How to Play Reversi

The rules take a minute to learn. Read them here with diagrams, then try them on the board above.

2You 2Computer

Opponent Level You play

Black moves first. With a friend, Black and White take turns on this screen. Dots mark the squares where the player to move can play.

What you need

An 8×8 board and 64 discs that are black on one side and white on the other. The columns are lettered a to h from left to right and the rows numbered 1 to 8 from the top, so every square has a name such as d3.

The starting position

Four discs start in the middle: white on d4 and e5, black on d5 and e4. Black moves first.

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The start. The rest of the board fills up during the game.

Making a move

On your turn, place one disc of your colour on an empty square so that at least one of your opponent's discs is outflanked: lying in an unbroken straight line between the new disc and a disc of yours that is already on the board. The line can go across, up and down or diagonally.

From the start, Black has four possible moves, marked with dots. They all lead to the same position, turned or mirrored, so the choice does not matter.

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Black's four legal first moves: d3, c4, f5 and e6.

Turning discs over

Every outflanked disc is turned over to your colour. If Black plays d3, the white disc on d4 sits between the new disc and the black disc on d5, so it turns black. White then has three possible replies.

a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8Before
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8After
The disc just played has a ring; the disc it turned over has a dot.

A single move can outflank lines in several directions at once, and all of them turn over. A line only counts if it is unbroken: an empty square in the way, or the edge of the board, stops it.

a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8Before
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8After
Black's disc on d4 outflanks two white discs to the left and two on the diagonal. The white discs on e4 and d6 stay white, because an empty square separates them from the black discs beyond.

Two more rules about turning discs over:

  • You must turn over every disc you outflank, not just some of them.
  • Only the discs outflanked by the disc you just placed turn over. Discs that turn over do not set off further flips of their own.

Passing

If you have no move that outflanks at least one disc, you pass and your opponent plays again. If you do have a move, you must play one; you cannot pass by choice. Passes are rare until near the end of the game.

The end of the game

The game ends when neither player can move. Usually that is because all 64 squares are full, but it can happen earlier, for example when one player has no discs left. Count the discs: the player with more of their colour wins, and equal numbers are a draw. In tournament play, any squares still empty when the game ends are added to the winner's count.

Quick summary

  • Black moves first; take turns.
  • Every move must outflank at least one disc, in any of eight directions.
  • Turn over every outflanked disc.
  • No legal move: pass. Neither player can move: game over.
  • Most discs wins.

Ready to try? The board at the top of this page shows your legal moves as dots. When the rules feel natural, read how to win at Reversi.

Frequently asked questions

How do you start a game of Reversi?

Put four discs in the middle of the board: white on d4 and e5, black on d5 and e4. Black moves first.

Can you move diagonally in Reversi?

Yes. A move can outflank discs along a row, a column or a diagonal, and in several of those directions at once.

Do flipped discs flip other discs?

No. Only the discs outflanked by the disc you just placed turn over; there is no chain reaction.

Can you choose to pass in Reversi?

No. You pass only when you have no legal move. If any move is possible, you have to play.

What happens if you run out of moves in Reversi?

You pass and your opponent moves again. If neither player can move, the game ends and the discs are counted.

Can Reversi end in a draw?

Yes, when both players have the same number of discs at the end, usually 32 each.