Reversi strategy
Reversi rewards patience more than greed. Having the most discs in the middle of the game means little – what counts is who controls the corners, who has more moves and who plays last. These guides explain the key ideas with board diagrams.
6 tips to start with
- Take corners. A disc in a corner can never be flipped. More about corners
- Avoid the squares next to an empty corner. A disc on an X-square or C-square often hands your opponent the corner.
- Limit your opponent's moves. Aim for positions where you have many choices and your opponent has few. More about mobility
- Don't grab too many discs early. Fewer discs in the opening usually means more options later.
- Plan for the last move. Near the end, try to play last in each region of empty squares. More about parity
- Look one move ahead. Before you play, check which squares your move opens up for your opponent.
Guides
- Corners, X-squares and C-squaresWhy corners matter, which squares give them away and how stable discs are built
- MobilityWhy fewer discs can mean more moves, and how quiet moves limit your opponent
- ParityHow to get the last move in the endgame, and why it is worth so many discs
- OpeningsYour first moves, White's 3 replies and named lines such as the Tiger and the Rose
For endgame practice, try the Daily challenge: every day there is a position that looks lost but can still be won.
Practice
Reading helps, but playing teaches. Start against the computer on Medium, and move up a level once you win most of your games. New to the game? Start with the rules or the step-by-step guide.
Play the computer