🟣🩷 Reversi (Othello) for Kids – The Ultimate Disc-Flipping Strategy Game!
Reversi — also known as Othello — is one of the most exciting strategy board games ever invented! Two players take turns placing coloured discs on a board, trying to flip their opponent's pieces by trapping them between their own. It's super easy to learn, but if you want to master Reversi you'll need brains, strategy, and a little bit of sneakiness! This free online Reversi game for kids is the perfect way to practise your skills and have a great time.
🤔 What Is Reversi?
Reversi is a two-player strategy board game played on a square grid — usually 8×8, just like a chessboard. Each player has a colour (in our game, purple and pink). You take turns placing a disc on the board. When you place your disc so that one or more of your opponent's discs are sandwiched between your new disc and another one of your discs already on the board, all of those trapped discs flip over to your colour! The player with the most discs when the board is full (or when neither player can move) wins the game.
Our version lets you play against a friend on the same device in 2 Player mode, or challenge our clever computer AI at three different difficulty levels. You can also choose between a full 8×8 board or a smaller 6×6 board that's great for beginners!
📋 How to Play Reversi – Step by Step
- Set up the board. Four discs start in the centre of the board — two of each colour arranged diagonally. Purple always goes first.
- Find a valid move. Look for a square where you can trap (sandwich) one or more of your opponent's discs between your new disc and one of your existing discs. The trapped discs can be in a row horizontally ↔, vertically ↕, or diagonally ↗↘.
- Place your disc. Tap on a highlighted square to play your move. All the opponent's discs that you trapped will flip to your colour!
- Take turns. Players alternate turns. If a player has no valid moves, their turn is skipped and the other player goes again.
- Keep flipping. A single move can flip discs in multiple directions at once — try to make moves that flip as many as possible!
- Win the game. The game ends when the board is full or neither player can make a move. Count the discs — the player with more discs wins!
💡 Top Reversi Tips for Kids
- Grab the corners! Corners are the most powerful squares on the board because once you take a corner, your disc can never be flipped. Always try to get corners when you can!
- Stay away from edges next to empty corners. Playing on the squares right next to an empty corner (called "X-squares" and "C-squares") can give your opponent a chance to grab that corner. Be careful!
- Don't always go for the most flips. It might look great to flip lots of pieces in one move, but sometimes flipping fewer discs gives you a better position for later. Think ahead!
- Control the edges. Discs along the edges of the board are harder to flip than discs in the middle, so building a strong edge is a great strategy.
- Keep your discs together. A big cluster of your discs is harder for your opponent to flip than scattered pieces all over the board.
- Limit your opponent's moves. Try to play in a way that gives your opponent fewer choices. When they run out of good moves, you get to take all the best squares!
- Think about the endgame. In the last few moves, the board fills up fast. Plan ahead so you finish with more discs than your opponent!
🧠 Why Reversi Is Great for Your Brain
Playing Reversi isn't just fun — it's a fantastic workout for your brain! Here's what you're training every time you play:
- Strategic thinking: Every disc you place changes the whole board. You learn to think several moves ahead and plan your strategy.
- Pattern recognition: Spotting flipping opportunities in all eight directions trains your visual scanning and pattern skills.
- Decision-making: Should you grab lots of pieces now or save a better move for later? These choices build strong analytical thinking.
- Spatial awareness: Understanding how flips work in rows, columns, and diagonals boosts your spatial reasoning.
- Patience and planning: The best Reversi players stay calm and think before they move. It's a brilliant game for building patience!
🤖 AI Difficulty Levels Explained
Our computer opponent comes in three levels so everyone can find the right challenge:
- Easy: The AI makes simple moves and sometimes plays randomly. Perfect for younger kids or anyone learning how Reversi works!
- Medium: The AI thinks a few moves ahead and knows about corners and edges. A fair challenge for most players!
- Hard: The AI uses advanced strategy — it thinks many moves ahead, fights for corners, and tries to limit your options. Can you beat it?
📐 Board Sizes
We offer two board sizes to suit every skill level:
- 6 × 6 (Beginner): A smaller board with fewer squares means quicker games and simpler strategy. Great for learning the basics!
- 8 × 8 (Classic): The traditional Reversi board size used in official tournaments. More squares means more strategy and longer, deeper games!
🆚 Reversi vs Othello – What's the Difference?
You might have heard both names — Reversi and Othello. They're almost the same game! Reversi was invented first in 1883. Othello was trademarked in 1971 by Goro Hasegawa in Japan with very slightly different starting rules (the four centre discs are always placed in the same pattern). In our game, we follow the Othello-style starting position. Most people use the names interchangeably — so whether you call it Reversi, Othello, or the "disc-flipping game," you're playing the same awesome strategy game!
📱 Play Reversi on Mobile
Our Reversi game works perfectly on phones, tablets, and computers. The board automatically resizes to fit your screen, and you just tap to place your discs. No app download needed — just open this page and start playing! It's the perfect game for a quick brain workout on the go.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is Reversi?
Reversi (also called Othello) is a classic two-player strategy board game where you try to have the most discs on the board by flipping your opponent's pieces. It's played on a square grid and is loved by kids and adults all over the world!
Is Reversi the same as Othello?
Basically yes! Othello is the modern, trademarked version of Reversi. The rules are almost identical. Our game follows the Othello-style setup with four discs pre-placed in the centre.
Who goes first in Reversi?
In our game, purple (Player 1) always goes first. In official Othello rules, the darker colour traditionally moves first.
What happens when I can't make a move?
If you have no legal moves (no way to trap any of your opponent's discs), your turn is skipped and your opponent plays again. If neither player can move, the game ends and discs are counted!
Can a corner disc be flipped?
No! Once you place a disc in a corner, it can never be surrounded and flipped. That's why corners are the most valuable squares on the board.
What is the best opening move in Reversi?
There isn't one single "best" opening move, but experienced players often try to take as few discs as possible in the early game so they keep more options open. Focus on position over quantity!
How do I get better at Reversi?
Practice! Start on Easy mode, learn to grab corners and avoid giving them away, and try to think one or two moves ahead. As you improve, move up to Medium and Hard difficulty. Playing against friends in 2 Player mode is also great practice!
Is Reversi a solved game?
Reversi on a standard 8×8 board has not been fully solved by computers yet! Unlike tic-tac-toe, it's too complex for a simple solution. Even on a 6×6 board, it's still a deep strategic challenge.