Play Reversi with a friend

One board, two people, one device. Black moves first, then the board hands over to white. Nothing to install and nobody has to sign in.

The short answer

Both players share this board. The dots show the squares the player to move is allowed to play, and the name above the board says whose turn it is. Tap a dot to place a disc, then pass the device across. Undo is free and unlimited if someone slips.

Setting up a game

Decide who is black. Black always moves first, which is a small advantage in Othello, so swap colours if you are playing more than one game. The four centre discs are already placed: white on d4 and e5, black on d5 and e4.

The player on black taps one of the four dots.
Every disc trapped in a straight line flips to black.
The board switches to white and marks white's legal squares.
Keep going until neither player has a legal move.

Playing by message instead

You do not have to be in the same room. After you move, press Copy link and send it to the other player. The link carries the whole game, so when they open it they see the same position and can play the next move. They send the new link back and you carry on. It works over any messaging app because it is just a web address.

Copy moves does the same thing as plain text, in a1 to h8 notation, which is handy if you want to keep a record of the game. Paste a game back into the box and press Load to replay it. If a move in the list cannot be played, the board tells you exactly which move number is wrong. How notation works.

Keeping it fair and keeping it fun

Two habits make pass and play games much better. First, agree in advance whether undo is allowed, because it is unlimited here and it is easy to argue about after the fact. Second, do not read the disc count as a score until the last ten moves or so. Being twenty discs behind in the middle of the game is often a good sign, not a bad one.

If one of you is much stronger, give the weaker player black and agree that the stronger player will not take a corner in the first twenty moves. It is a better handicap than any disc count. Tips for beginners.

When nobody can move

A player with no legal move passes, and the other player goes again. This is normal and it can happen several times in a row near the end. The board announces it so there is no confusion. The game finishes when neither player can move, usually with all 64 squares full, and the player with more discs wins. The full rules and how scoring works.

Want a computer opponent instead?

Switch "Who is playing" to You vs computer, or open the computer board, which has four difficulty levels from near random to a perfect endgame.

Frequently asked questions

How does two player Reversi work on one device?

Both players use the same board. Black moves first, then the board switches to white and marks the squares white may play. Pass the phone or take turns at the keyboard. Nothing needs to be installed.

Can we play on two different devices?

Not live, but you can play by message. After each move press Copy link and send it. Whoever opens the link sees the exact position and plays the next move, then sends the new link back.

What if one player has no legal move?

That player passes and the other one moves again. The board says who was skipped and why, so nobody has to argue about it. More on passing.

Can we undo a move we both agree was a slip?

Yes. Undo steps back one move at a time, as many times as you want, and puts every flipped disc back where it was.

Who wins if the disc count is equal?

It is a draw. Draws are rare but they do happen, and they need an even split of 32 discs each. How scoring works.

Is this the same as two player Othello?

Yes. Reversi and Othello are the same game under the modern rules used here. The difference between the two names.