Reversi 1880 Original

Reversi uses a completely new gameplay for the time. Here is probably the only original version available for you to play online.

  My Wins           PC Wins 

  My Score        PC Score 

  My Pieces     PC Pieces 

Messages

 Start New Game 

How to Play

  This is the original game using the original rules (possibly the only one on the internet!)  Each player has 32 pieces and the first two on each side must be played in the centre squares.   Each piece is red on one side and black on the other.  You are red and play first by placing a piece on one of the four centre squares.  The PC, tablet or smartphone is black.  When the centre is full, play on any square on the board where you ‘sandwich’ at least one black piece between the piece you are playing and a red piece already on the board.  If you are playing on a PC, there are helpful outlines to show you where you can place your piece.  All trapped black pieces will be turned over to red. Play continues in turn.  If either player cannot flip any of the opponent’s pieces, the game ends.

History

  Reversi, appeared with two shapes of board around 1880. John W. Mollett’s ‘Game of Annexation’ in 1876 used a cross-shaped board but Lewis Waterman in 1883 used the standard 8 x 8 chess board. Walter H. Peel wrote a book, Handbook of Reversi, published by Waterman’s firm, Jacques and Sons, in London in 1888.   Since then the game was reinvented in Japan as ‘Othello’. You can play tournament rules Othello here.