Othello Rules and Gameplay Instructions

This Othello rules guide will teach you everything there is to learn about this easy to play, quick-moving board game, including components, its history, how to play, and scoring.

If you have ever played tic-tac-toe or checkers, you are sure to catch on quickly to the strategy behind Othello. 

Sometimes referred to as its much older version, Reversi, Othello has been in production since the 1970s. 

Read on to learn how to play Othello.

What is Othello?

Created in the 1970s, Othello is a 2-player game that uses round discs on a board similar to checkers. The discs are white on one side and black on the other. Each player claims a color and works to cover most of the 8 x 8 square board with their discs. 

Number of Players:  2

Ages: 7+

Difficulty: Easy

Length of Play: 30 minutes

Category: Abstract Strategy 

Similar to: Connect Four, Tic-Tac-Toe, Checkers, Qwirkle

Main Objective: To win, you must have more of your discs facing up at the end of the game than your opponent. 

Why We Love It: Othello is easy to learn and requires very little space to play. Great game to take on trips or use outdoors; you can play various rounds and include other players in a tournament-style challenge. 

A Brief History of Othello

Othello is a modern variation of Reversi which was originally invented back in the 1800s and is a strategy game played using black and white stones. 

Now, Othello is in production by Mattel and has grown in popularity since the 1970s. Othello was awarded the Parent’s Choice Classic Award in 1996.

What You’ll Need to Play Othello

You can find everything you need to play Othello in this boxed game set. 

The original box contains: 

• 1 playing board
• 4 game board feet
• 1 instruction manual
• 64 reversible discs

Othello Area of Play

Setting up the board is quick and easy. Start by placing four discs in the center- two white-facing up and two black-facing up. 

Players each take 30 discs. One player will use white discs, while the other player will play using the black discs. 

Othello Rules and Gameplay

1. The player using the black discs will begin by placing a disc on an empty space on the board. Players place their tokens on either side of the opponent’s token(s). When this flanking occurs, the player flips the opponent’s token(s) and claims it as their own. 

1. You can outflank your opponent multiple times in one turn. A row of discs can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal. It does not matter how many of your opponent’s tokens are in between yours; you can flip each of them to match your color. 
2. If you cannot outflank your opponent, then you lose your turn. If there is a way to outflank your opponent, then you must play. 
3. Keep in mind; you can only outflank discs directly between your discs. You must turn over all of the discs in an outflank. 
4. If you flip a disc or forget to flip a disc in error, you may fix the mistake. Unless your opponent already played their next turn, then you cannot fix the error. 
5. Once played, a disc can not be moved to another square, only flipped. If a player runs out of discs, the opponent shares some of theirs. 

How to Keep Score in Othello

When there are no options left for either player to place their discs, the game ends. Count the discs, and the player with the most discs showing wins the game. 

If desired, players can play Othello in multiple rounds, totaling points to see who will win the overall game. 

How to Play Othello – Video Tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDnYEOsjZnM

Frequently Asked Questions About Othello 

Is Othello harder than Chess?

Othello has fewer components and rules when compared to Chess. While both are two-player strategy games, Othello is easier to learn. 

Can you go diagonally in Othello?

Yes, you can make rows of discs vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. 

Alternative Games Similar to Othello

If you are looking for something a bit more challenging, you may consider Backgammon. Similar to Othello, this board game uses bicolored discs and requires strategic play to win. Backgammon is a popular choice for two players. Also, it travels well as every component is enclosed within its carrying case. 

Another great classic game is Dominoes (check out the official Domino rules). Again, almost anyone can learn to play this game relatively quickly, and there are many variations to Dominos, providing players with ample gameplay options that everyone can enjoy. 

Chinese Checkers is an engaging game that players of all ages can enjoy. Another classic, there are numerous variations of this board game available today. Traditionally played with marbles, some sets use pegs to make it easier for children to play or gameplay while traveling.