How to play Reversi

The goal

Playing

• The game starts with four discs crossed in the middle.
• Place a disc so that it traps one or more of the computer’s discs in a straight line (across, down or diagonally) between it and another of your discs. That’s outflanking.
• Every trapped disc, in every direction at once, flips over to your color.
• A move must flip at least one disc. Dots show where you can play: tap one.

Passing and the end

• If you have no move, you pass and the computer plays again (and the other way round).
• The game ends when neither side can move, usually when the board is full. Most discs wins; equal counts are a draw.

Tips

• Corners can never be flipped, so they are worth a lot.
• Be careful with the squares right next to an empty corner: they often hand the corner to the computer.
• Flipping lots of discs early isn’t always good. Keeping more moves open than your opponent usually is.

Levels and undo

• Easy looks one move ahead and makes mistakes. Normal plans a few moves ahead. Hard searches deep and plays the last 14 squares perfectly.
• Undo takes back your last move and the computer’s reply.
• Starting a new game partway through counts as a loss. Your record is kept for each level.

Questions

Strategy guides