Reversi vs Othello: what is the difference?
How historical Reversi and modern Othello differ, why online games use the names interchangeably, and which rules PlayFaceToFace plays.
Online, Reversi and Othello usually mean the same 8×8 disc-flipping game. Historically they differ. Reversi is the older game, and Othello fixed the starting position and the rules most people play today.
The short answer
Open a modern site or app called Reversi and you will usually get the rules people know as Othello. The board is 8×8, four discs start fixed in the centre, every move must outflank, discs flip automatically, a player with no move passes, and the player with more discs at the end wins.
The difference matters for history and the original rules. Most digital versions play by the modern Othello rules.
Reversi vs Othello at a glance
| Topic | Historical Reversi | Modern Othello |
|---|---|---|
| Era | Played in Britain from the 1880s | Patented in Japan in 1971, launched in 1973 |
| Board | 8×8 | 8×8 |
| Starting position | No single fixed centre layout | Four centre discs in a fixed diagonal pattern |
| Core mechanic | Outflank and reverse opponent pieces | Outflank and flip opponent discs |
| Competitive standard | Not the usual tournament rules today | The standard rules of organised Othello |
| Online use | Often a generic name for Othello-style play | Usually the standardised modern rules |
Which came first
Reversi came first. It was played in Britain in the 1880s, and two Englishmen, Lewis Waterman and John W. Mollett, both claimed to have invented it. Early accounts describe a flipping game on an 8×8 board that modern players would recognise, but it didn't start from today's single fixed four-disc opening.
Goro Hasegawa patented the modern version in Japan as Othello in 1971, and it went on sale there in 1973. A standard opening and a consistent rulebook made organised competition possible. The history of Reversi has the full story.
The starting position
Modern Othello always starts with four discs on the centre squares, two black and two white, placed diagonally. Black moves first.
Historical Reversi didn't use that one layout. Players built the centre with their opening placements, which changes the early game considerably.
Flipping and passing
The flipping idea is the same in both. Place a disc so that one or more unbroken opponent discs are trapped between it and another disc of your colour, and every trapped disc changes colour. Modern rules check rows, columns and diagonals, and one move may flip in several directions. The most one move can flip is 19 discs.
Under modern Othello rules a player with no legal move passes and the opponent moves again. The game ends when neither player can move, which can happen before all 64 squares are filled. Early Reversi rules were less settled, so historical comparisons can give different answers depending on the edition.
Why sites call Othello "Reversi"
Reversi is the older, generic name, and Othello became the name of the standardised version. Since the board, discs and flipping are so alike, the names are used interchangeably in casual and online play.
So when a site says "Play Reversi", check the rules rather than the label. Four fixed centre discs, a required flip, a pass when no move exists and a disc count at the end mean you are playing the modern Othello-style game.
The rules PlayFaceToFace uses
We call the game Reversi, but it plays by the modern Othello rules, so anyone who knows Othello can start straight away.
- An 8×8 board with the fixed four-disc centre opening.
- Two players, Black and White, with Black moving first.
- Every move must outflank at least one opponent disc, and all trapped lines flip automatically.
- A player with no legal move passes automatically.
- The game ends when neither player can move, and the player with more discs wins.
Strategy carries over as well. Mobility, corners, stable discs, parity and limiting your opponent's moves matter just as much, since the modern games use the same rules. The World Othello Federation and the British Othello Federation both document how the two games relate.
Are Reversi and Othello the same game?
Online, effectively yes, since Reversi usually uses the standard Othello rules. Historically no. Reversi is older, and its original setup and conventions were different.
Which game is older?
Reversi. It was played in Britain in the 1880s, decades before Othello was patented in Japan in 1971.
Does Othello always start with four centre discs?
Yes. The fixed diagonal four-disc centre is part of the standard modern Othello opening.
Can I use Othello strategy in online Reversi?
Yes, if the game uses the standard modern rules. Corners, mobility, stable discs, edges and parity all carry over.
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