Reversi Gameplay Reversi (Othello) online, free, vs the computer
Flip the board, control the corners, win by majority. Choose Black or White and Easy, Normal, or Hard — no download, no sign-up, right in your browser.
Time
0:00
Moves
0
Play as
Difficulty
Trap discs between two of yours to flip them — most discs on the board wins
What is Reversi
The classic disc-flipping strategy game, also known as Othello
Reversi is a two-player strategy game played on an 8x8 board. Take turns placing discs so that one or more of your opponent's discs are trapped between yours and flip to your colour. Control the corners, keep your options open, and finish with more discs on the board than your opponent to win. Easy to learn, hard to fully master.
- Easy, Normal, or Hard
- Pick your colour and a computer difficulty. Easy is forgiving for learning the rules; Hard searches deep and solves the endgame exactly.
- Plays in your browser
- No download, no install, no plugins. reversigame.app sets up a board the moment the page loads, on desktop and mobile.
- Undo, hints, legal-move dots
- Unlimited one-tap undo, a hint that points to a strong move, and every legal square marked so you never guess where you can play.
- Progress saved locally
- Wins, losses, ties, best margin, fastest win, and streak for each difficulty are stored on your device — never on a server.
How to play
How to play Reversi
Reversi is a game of position and timing. Sandwich the opponent's discs to flip them, fight for the corners, and finish with more discs on the board than your opponent.
- 1
Read the opening position
Reversi starts on an empty 8x8 board with four discs already placed at the centre: two Black and two White, arranged diagonally so each colour faces the other. Black always moves first.
- 2
Sandwich to flip
Place a disc of your colour on an empty square so that it traps one or more of the opponent's discs in an unbroken straight line — horizontal, vertical, or diagonal — between your new disc and another disc you already own. Every trapped disc flips to your colour immediately.
- 3
Capture is mandatory
You may only play a square that flips at least one opponent disc. If you have no legal move anywhere on the board, your turn is skipped automatically and play passes back to your opponent.
- 4
Win by majority
The game ends the moment neither player has a legal move — usually when the board is full. Whoever owns more discs at that point wins. A tie is possible if both colours end level.
Tips to win more games
- Corners can never be flipped once taken — fight for them and avoid handing them away.
- Never play the square diagonally next to an empty corner (the "X-square") unless it forces your opponent into a worse reply.
- Early in the game, disc count barely matters — mobility (how many legal moves you have) matters far more.
- A move that limits your opponent's options is often better than one that flips the most discs right now.
- Edge squares next to a corner ("C-squares") are risky before the corner itself is settled — they can hand the corner away.
- In the endgame, once the board is nearly full, disc count is everything — count carefully before your final moves.
- Use undo to compare two candidate moves before you commit; there is no penalty for checking your idea first.
FAQ
Reversi, answered
Straight answers about the free Reversi (Othello) game you can play online in your browser.
What is Reversi?
Reversi is a two-player strategy game played on an 8x8 board, also widely known by the trademarked name Othello. Players take turns placing discs of their colour so that one or more of the opponent's discs are trapped in a straight line and flip to their colour. The game ends when neither player can move, and whoever has more discs on the board wins.
How do you play Reversi?
The board starts with two Black and two White discs at the centre. Black moves first. On your turn, place a disc on an empty square so that it sandwiches at least one opponent disc in a straight line between your new disc and one you already own — every disc in that line flips to your colour. If you have no legal move, your turn is skipped. The match ends when neither side can move, and the player with more discs wins.
Is Reversi free to play online?
Yes. reversigame.app is completely free and runs entirely in your browser. There is nothing to buy, download, or install, and there are no interruptive video ads, premium tiers, or paywalls. Open the page and a board is already set up.
Do I need to download an app or create an account?
No. The game is the website — a 100% browser-based build with no app store download and no sign-up. Your stats are saved locally in your browser, so there is no login to manage.
Is Reversi the same as Othello?
They share the same core rules — an 8x8 board, the same opening position, and the same flip-by-sandwiching mechanic. Othello is a specific trademarked commercial version of the older game Reversi, with a couple of historical rule clarifications. This site implements the standard Reversi/Othello ruleset that both names commonly refer to today.
What happens if I have no legal move?
Your turn is skipped automatically and play passes to your opponent — you do not get to choose to pass voluntarily, and you are never forced to make a move that flips nothing. If neither player has a legal move, the match ends immediately and the disc count decides the winner.
Can a game end before the board is full?
Yes, though it is uncommon. If every remaining empty square is illegal for both colours — usually because one colour has been completely eliminated from the board, or the last squares cannot be flipped into — the match ends there and whoever has more discs at that moment wins.
How does the computer opponent work?
The computer searches ahead using the same kind of move-scoring approach strong Reversi players use by hand: it weighs corner control, edge safety, and how many replies each side has, then looks several moves into the future to avoid short-term traps. Hard mode also calculates the endgame exactly once few squares remain, so it rarely misplays the final moves.
What is the difference between Easy, Normal, and Hard?
Easy plays many random legal moves and barely looks ahead, so mistakes go largely unpunished — a good mode for learning the rules. Normal looks a few moves ahead and plays sound positional Reversi. Hard searches deeper, prioritises corners and mobility from the first move, and solves the last stretch of the game exactly, making it a genuinely difficult opponent.
How do I win more games?
Prioritise the corners — they can never be recaptured once taken. Avoid playing the squares diagonally or directly adjacent to an empty corner, since that often hands the corner to your opponent. Value having more legal moves over flipping the most discs on any single turn, and once the board is nearly full, switch to counting discs exactly rather than judging position.
Does the game save my progress?
Your wins, losses, ties, best winning margin, fastest win, and win streak are saved locally in your browser for Easy, Normal, and Hard separately. Nothing is sent to a server and there is no account. Because the save lives on the device, a different phone, a new browser profile, or cleared site data looks like a fresh start.
Can I play Reversi on mobile?
Yes. The board is built for touch: tap any highlighted square to place your disc. The full 8x8 board fits on one portrait screen, and starting a new match is instant with no page reload.