Also known as Reversi, Othello is a game that mixes strategy and tactics in a duel.
Contents and Goal of the Game
Othello is played as a duel; two players compete.
The goal is pretty simple: to be the player with the most disks at the end of the game.
A classic Othello game includes:
- an othellier of 64 squares: this is the game board
- 64 two-color disks: one white side and one black side.
The game ends when there is no more movement possible for both players, or when all the spaces on the board are occupied.
Before You Begin
The othellier is a board of 64 squares. Each square is assigned a notation in the form of coordinates, as on a chess board. Thus:
– the rows, from top to bottom, are numbered from 1 to 8
– the columns are numbered from A to H.
Each player takes 32 disks. Then, the starting position is as follows:
- Two whites in E5 and D4
- Two blacks in E4 and D5
It is only after these disks have been placed that the game can begin.
As a general rule, black starts first. Players take turns. Each player must place one of their disks on the board in turn. If no player can place a disk, the game ends.
Taking Your Turn: 3 Rules
Ready to start? Perfect.
To place your disk, you must respect three small rules:
- you can only place your disk on an empty square (you’ve probably guessed that already 😅)
- you must place your disk next to your opponent’s disk
- you must apply the sandwich rule 😋
The sandwich rule is very simple: when one or more of your opponent’s disks find themselves framed by a disk and the disk you have just placed, you can turn over all your opponent’s disks that are caught in this frame. You can frame your opponent’s disks from all possible directions.
If the white player plays F6, they can reverse the E5 disk.
The game ends when none of the players can place any more disks.
All you have to do is count the disks of each color. The winner is the one with the most disks of their color.
Official rules in PDF
Explore the official Othello rule in PDF.
