Board games
Othello
- players
- 2
- minutes
- 20
- years
- 8+
In the box
1 board of 64 squares · 64 two-coloured discs
Official rules (federation's site)
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- EnclosureSquare GridTile Placement
Where to buy it
Near you and online
In a shop
Within 50 km.
Online
Affiliate link: Marquoir may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The basics
The aim is to have more discs of your colour than your opponent at the end. Black starts; on your turn, place a disc on an empty square so as to outflank, in a straight line, opposing discs between it and one of yours, and flip every outflanked disc, in all directions. A move that flips nothing is not allowed; with no legal move, you pass. When neither player can move, each counts their discs, empty squares going to the winner: the higher number wins.
Checked against the official rules · October 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
8 × 8 board, 4 discs in the centre, Black moves first
- An 8x8 board and 64 discs, black on one side, white on the other. Each player keeps 32 in front of them, and gives some to the opponent if they run out.
- At the start, four discs in the centre: white on d4 and e5, black on d5 and e4, each colour on a diagonal.
- Black plays first, then each player in turn.
How to play
Outflank and flip, No move: pass
- Place a disc on an empty square so as to outflank, in a straight line, one or more opposing discs between that disc and a disc of your colour already on the board.
- All the outflanked discs are flipped, in all eight directions at once, even if you would rather not flip them.
- No chain reaction: only the discs outflanked by the disc just placed are flipped.
- A move that flips nothing is not allowed. With no possible move, you pass and your opponent plays again; but you cannot pass when you have a move.
Scoring
Discs of your colour, Empty squares to winner, Total of 64
- At the end of the game, each player counts the discs of their colour; the higher number wins.
- Squares left empty go to the winner: 33 black discs, 28 white and three empty squares make 36–28 to Black.
- A tie is always recorded as 32–32. In tournaments, a resignation is recorded as 64–0, and a player who runs out of time loses, the opponent winning by at least 33–31.
- In Marquoir, one line per game: enter each colour’s discs, empty squares included for the winner; the two scores add up to 64.
End of the game
Nobody can move, 32-32: draw
- The game stops when neither player can move: usually the board is full, but sometimes squares stay empty because neither player can play there.
- The higher number of discs wins; with equal numbers, the game is drawn.
House rules and pitfalls
A disc in a corner can never be flipped: no line can outflank it.
- A disc in a corner can never be flipped: no line can outflank it.
- In tournaments, a win is worth 1 point and a draw ½; on equal points, ties are broken first by the Brightwell system, which takes into account the discs scored and the opponents’ results, then by disc totals.
Going further
Frequently asked questions · Rules on video · In the same family
Frequently asked questions
How do you capture discs?
By placing a disc of your colour so as to outflank, in a straight line (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), an unbroken row of opposing discs. All the outflanked discs are flipped to your colour.
Do you have to capture on every move?
Yes: a move is only legal if it flips at least one opposing disc. If no move does, you pass your turn; if a move exists, you must play it.
Why are corners so important?
A disc in a corner can never be flipped, as there is no square beyond it to outflank it from: it stays yours until the end.
Should you have the most discs during the game?
No: only the disc count when nobody can move any more matters. During the game discs keep changing colour, and a lead can vanish in one move.
How does the game end?
When nobody can move any more, usually because the board is full. Count the discs, empty squares going to the winner: the majority wins.
How do you record a game in the counter?
One line per game: each colour’s discs, giving the empty squares to the winner, so the two scores add up to 64. A tie is entered as 32–32.
Rules on video
Videos in French, hosted on YouTube.