How to play Othello

How to play Othello game rules in quick, simple steps. Get your game started quickly.

Players: 2 to 2 | Game duration from: 25 mins | Game Complexity: EASY

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What is the goal of Othello?

Othello is a 2 player game where players place and flip different coloured discs across a board. The goal of the game is to have the most coloured discs by the conclusion of the game

Setting Up Othello

The game begins with 2 black discs and 2 white discs at the center of the board.
Around the 2×2 center, the black discs should be placed in the top right and bottom left positions and the white discs in the top left and bottom right positions.
The two players discuss who plays as black and white and both players receive 32 discs.

How to Play Othello in Simple Steps

Black always moves first, and play alternates between the two.
To make a move, the disc must be in a position that outflanks one or more of the opposite colours. When both players are unable to make a move, the game ends.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Decide who goes first

To make a move, the disc must be in a position that outflanks one or more of the opposite colour.
A disc is considered out-flanked when two discs of the same colour are positioned at the ends of a row of opposite colours.
(As shown in the example, player white is able to place his white disc at the indicated position as the row of black discs will be surrounded by two white discs)

Moving Cont…

Outflanking discs can only be in the directions of horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
When discs of the opposite colour have been outflanked, they must be flipped to the colour of the surrounded discs. The discs must be flipped even if it puts the player in a disadvantage
(The example below shows that since white has outflanked the three black discs, those black discs are then changed into white discs.)

Winning Othello

When both players have run out of disc or are unable to move, the game is over.
The disc are then counted based on their colour and the player with the majority of their colour on the board is the winner. Ties are therefore possible.