Reversi
Place a disc to trap your opponent's discs between two of yours and flip them — the most discs at the end wins.
How to play reversi online
- Under Opponent, pick vs Computer (the default) or 2 players for two people using one device.
- If you chose vs Computer, set Level to Easy, Medium (the default), or Hard.
- Under You play, pick You are Black (move first) (the default) or You are White (move second). Black always moves first.
- Keep Show legal moves on to see a small dot on every square you may play. Turn it off to play without the dots.
- Click or tap a legal square to place your disc. A tap on an illegal square does nothing.
- Watch the Turn, Discs and Score chips and the status line. If you have no legal move, you pass automatically.
- Press Undo (U or Ctrl+Z) to take moves back, or Hint (H) to see a suggested square.
- Press New game (N) to start over, or Fullscreen (F) for a larger board.
- When neither side can move, a dialog shows the winner and the final disc count; the Score chip adds the result to your tally for that level.
On a keyboard, press Tab to move focus into the board, use the arrow keys to move the cursor, and press Enter or Space to play. Changing Opponent, Level or You play starts a new game, while Legal moves only changes the display.
Reversi rules: the game rules in short
Reversi rules are simple: place a disc so that it traps opponent discs between the new disc and one of your own, and every trapped disc flips to your colour. The board starts with white on d4 and e5 and black on e4 and d5. A move is legal in any of the eight directions (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) where at least one opponent disc is enclosed. A square where nothing would flip is not a legal move.
How does reversi work?
Reversi works through flipping. One move can change many discs at once, so the count at the end can be very different from the count in the middle. If a player has no legal move, they pass automatically and the other player moves again. The game ends when neither player can move, which includes a full board. The player with more discs wins, and equal counts are a draw. For example, if black plays d3, the white disc on d4 flips, and the count becomes black 4, white 1.
Reversi strategy and tips
Good reversi play usually comes down to three things: take corners, avoid squares next to corners, and keep your options open. The corners a1, h1, a8 and h8 are very valuable because a disc placed there can never be flipped back. The squares next to corners, such as b1 or a2, often let your opponent reach a corner, so the Medium computer avoids them. Also check how many moves you leave your opponent, since having few safe options is a common reason to lose discs.
Reversi ending explained
The ending starts when few empty squares remain, and each move matters more. With 8 or fewer empty squares left, the Hard computer plays out the rest of the game exactly, so it will not miss a winning line. When you play the end yourself, count the empty squares in each region and check who gets the last move there. The player who moves last in a region often controls the final flips.
What does reversi mean?
Reversi is the name of this board game, and it describes what happens on almost every move: the discs you trap are reversed, flipped from your opponent’s colour to yours. The same game is sold under other brand names, but the rules on this page are the standard reversi rules.
Frequently asked questions
Is reversi free, and do I need to sign up?
Yes, it is free. It runs entirely in your browser and makes no network requests, so there is nothing to sign up for before you play.
Can I play reversi on a phone?
Yes. The board scales to the screen width, and on a 375 px phone each square is about 41 px. Tap a highlighted square to place your disc.
Is my game saved?
Your game in progress is saved in your browser after every move, along with your settings and score tally. This data stays in your browser and is not sent anywhere. It is removed only when you clear your browser data.
Does the score reset when I start a new game?
No. Pressing New game does not reset the tally. The tally counts wins, losses and draws against each computer level, or Black, White and draws in 2-player mode.
What happens if I have no legal move?
You pass automatically, and the status line tells you so. The other player then moves again. The game ends only when neither player can move.
Can I take back a move?
Yes. In 2 players mode, Undo goes back one move at a time. Against the computer, it goes back to your previous turn, removing the computer’s reply and your move. If you play White, the computer’s opening move cannot be undone.
More games
- Mancala: Use it when you want another strategy game where you move pieces around a board to capture.
- Dots and Boxes: Try it for a quick two-player game about drawing lines and claiming squares.
- Tic Tac Toe: Pick it for a short, simple game to learn turn-taking with a friend.
- Minesweeper: Play it when you want a single-player puzzle that relies on careful reasoning.
- 2048: Choose it for a sliding-tile puzzle that you can play at your own pace.
- Dice Game: Use it when you want a game where luck plays a bigger role than planning.
- Spades: a partnership trick-taking card game where you bid your tricks with a computer partner.