Reversi
Reversi and
Othello are names for a strategic
boardgame which involves play by two parties on an eight-by-eight square grid with pieces that have two distinct sides. Pieces typically appear coin-like, with a light and a dark face.
The game derives from two different sources.
Reversi was originally invented around 1880 by two Englishmen, Lewis Waterman and John W. Mollett, and gained considerable popularity in England at the end of the 19th century. In 1898, the well-known German games publisher
Ravensburger started producing the game as one of its first titles.
The modern rule set, now universally accepted (except by those who know only the still-produced Ravensburger edition), originated in
Japan as
Othello in the
1970s.
Mattel produces Reversi equipment under the name
Othello.
Anjar Co licenses the
registered trademark Othello from
Tsukuda Original.
Goro Hasegawa, who wrote
How to win at Othello, popularised the game in
Japan in
1975.
It took its name from the
Shakespearean play
Othello, the Moor of Venice.
Each of the two sides corresponds to one player; they are referred to here as
light and
dark after the sides of Othello pieces, but "heads" and "tails" would identify them equally as well, so long as each marker has sufficiently distinctive sides.
Originally, Reversi did not have a defined starting position. Later it adopted Othello's rules, which state that the game begins with four markers placed in a square in the middle of the grid, two facing light-up, two pieces with the dark side up. The dark player makes the first move.
*Advertising for the Mattel version of the game included the tagline "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master."
* This rivalling Monte Carlo world championship is usually not considered to be an official world championship
*
Othello: Brief and Basic, An introduction to strategy and tactics for the game of Othello, Ted Landau, 1987
*
Othello: A Minute to Learn - A Lifetime to Master, Brian Rose, 2005
*
The Othello Wiki Book Project*
The Othello Guide*
Othello Blog*
Othello Gateway*
OthBase: Othello Games Database Manager*
Gunnar Andersson's Othello Page - download WZebra, one of the strongest freeware Othello programs; also contains general information and advice for creating Othello computer opponents.
Origins
*
A History of Othello*
Manual by Ravensburger (In german)
*
Pictures of the 19th century reversi boardsComputer Programs
*
An Othello program lets you play with computer. Written in Ada for Linux/UNIX.Play online
*
Railthello: Play online othello against AI, keeps records of games*
Play Online Reversi*
Play turnbased Othello at YourturnMyturn.com*
Othello at Kurnik Online Games - many strong players from around the world
*
A collection of Othello/Reversi games online*
Play online Reversi at HigherGames*
Ajax Multiplayer Reversi at pitStreet Extra-light Reversi, with the possibility to view the replay of all matches.
National Organisations
*
Australian Othello Federation*
British Othello Federation*
Czech Othello Federation*
Danish Othello Federation*
French Othello Federation*
Hong Kong Othello Association*
Italian Othello Federation*
Malaysia Othello Association*
Norwegian Othello Federation*
Swedish Othello Federation*
U.S. Othello Association
