Reversi

Play reversi online, two players on one screen — every flip and every pass shown clearly, plus three computer levels

👥 1-2 players⚔️ 2-Player Duels⚡ No download · No sign-up

🕹️ How to play

Start a game: The page opens straight into game 1: two black and two white discs in the centre, Black to move, and a small dot on each of the four legal squares. Tap any dotted square to play. The flanked white disc turns black and the score jumps from 2:2 to 4:1. There is no start button and no account; to play the computer, tap “vs CPU” in the mode bar.
How flipping works: Your new disc must trap one or more of your opponent's discs in a straight line between it and another disc of yours — horizontally, vertically or diagonally, in any of eight directions. Every trapped disc flips to your colour, nearest first. One move can flip in several directions at once, but newly flipped discs never trigger further flips. Tap a square that traps nothing and the status line tells you why.
Why your opponent moved twice: If the player to move has no legal square, they must pass and the other player moves again. The page shows a pass card over the board — “Black has no legal move — pass” — holds it for 1.2 seconds so both of you can read it, and keeps “Black just passed” in the status line until the next move. Passes can happen several times in a row, and each one is announced.
How the winner is decided: The game ends when all 64 squares are filled or when neither side can move. Count the discs: most discs wins, equal counts are a draw. A game can end early — a player loses every disc, or empty squares remain that neither side can use. At the end, discs are counted one by one, and the result card shows the winner, the score, why the game ended and one line on why it was won.
Undo a mistake: Undo sits under the board, with no limit and no ads. In two-player mode it takes back one move; against the computer it rolls back to your turn, removing the computer's reply too. Even after the result card, “Undo & continue” removes the game from the score and lets you play on. “Restart” clears the board after a confirmation and the game isn't scored.

📖 Rules & variants

Setup and turns: an 8×8 board with white on d4 and e5, black on e4 and d5. Black moves first and players alternate. Columns are a–h left to right, rows 1–8 top to bottom; coordinates can be shown from Settings. In two-player mode the colours swap every game — Player 1 is Black in game 1, Player 2 in game 2 — while the score cards stay where they are.

Legal moves: a disc must go on an empty square and flank at least one continuous line of opposing discs, ending in one of your own, in any of the eight directions. Every flanked line flips completely; you can't choose to flip only part of it, and flipped discs don't chain. The dots on the board are exactly the current legal moves and can be switched off.

Passing and the end: a player with no legal move passes automatically and the opponent continues. Passing is not a choice, so there is no pass button — a pass card explains what happened instead. When neither player can move the game is over, whether the board is full, one side has been wiped out, or empty squares simply can't be used.

Scoring and draws: at the end, the colour with more discs on the board wins; equal counts are a draw. Empty squares aren't awarded to anyone here, although some tournament rules give them to the winner. The disc count during play is only the current count, not a prediction — being behind in the midgame and winning at the end is normal in reversi.

Three computer levels: Beginner grabs whatever flips the most and often gives away corners, so new players can win. Corner hunter takes every corner and avoids the squares next to them. Expert searches several moves ahead, limits your options and plays the last ten squares perfectly. Against the computer you can play Black, White or alternate, and your record is kept per level on this device.

Basic strategy: corners can never be flipped, so they are the most valuable squares. Avoid the diagonal squares next to an empty corner (b2, g2, b7, g7) — they tend to hand the corner over, and the page reminds you the first time. In the opening and midgame, having fewer moves available to your opponent matters more than having more discs. Edge discs are fairly stable but can be flipped back along the edge.

Variants: only the standard game is implemented. Other sites may offer 6×6 or 10×10 boards, handicap openings or tournament scoring that awards empty squares to the winner. A standard game lasts at most 60 moves — roughly 5 to 10 minutes for two players.

Two positions that explain the rules

Passing: White just played c1. Black has no empty square that flanks a white disc, so Black must pass and White moves again.

Two directions at once: White plays f4 and flanks e4 horizontally and f5 vertically, so both flip to white.

❓ FAQ

How do you play reversi?

Place a disc so that it traps your opponent's discs in a line between it and one of your own; every trapped disc flips to your colour, and whoever has more discs at the end wins. The game starts with two black and two white discs in the centre and Black moves first. Every move must flip at least one disc, and this page marks all legal squares with dots, so you can learn simply by playing.

What happens in reversi when you can't move?

You pass, and your opponent moves again — that's the standard rule, not a glitch. In reversi you must play whenever you have a legal move; you only skip when you have none, and it can happen several times in a row. This page shows a pass card naming the player who was skipped, holds it for 1.2 seconds and keeps a “just passed” note in the status line until the next move.

How is a reversi game won, and can it end before the board is full?

Whoever has more discs when neither player can move wins, and yes, that can happen before all 64 squares are filled. The two usual early endings are one player losing every disc, or a few empty squares remaining that neither side can legally use. Equal disc counts are a draw, and on this page empty squares are not given to either player.

What is the best reversi strategy for beginners?

Take corners and avoid giving them away: a corner disc can never be flipped and anchors whole edges. The squares diagonally next to an empty corner (b2, g2, b7, g7) are the most dangerous, because playing there usually lets your opponent take the corner. Also, don't chase disc count early — limiting your opponent's legal moves matters more, and many games turn around in the last dozen moves.

Can I play reversi against the computer on an easy level?

Yes — switch to “vs CPU” and pick Beginner, a level built with deliberate weaknesses: it goes for the biggest immediate flip and often hands you a corner. Once you beat it, try Corner hunter, then Expert, which searches ahead and solves the last ten squares exactly. You can undo as often as you like; against the computer, undo rolls back to your turn.

Can two people play reversi on one phone?

Yes, two-player mode is the default: put the phone on the table and take turns tapping squares. Reversi has no hidden information, so there is no hand-off screen — the highlighted score card and the status line show whose turn it is, and colours swap automatically between games so each player gets to move first.

Last updated: 2026-09-27 · Saved on this device only