Reversi Strategy: 8 Tips to Win More Games
Reversi is easy to learn and full of surprises: the lead can change on the last move. These eight ideas will help. New to the game? Read the rules.
1. Take the corners
A disc in a corner can never be flipped, and it anchors the edges next to it.
2. Avoid the squares next to an empty corner
The diagonal neighbour of a corner (the "X-square") and the two edge squares next to it often hand the corner to your opponent.
3. Fewer discs early
Flipping lots of discs early gives your opponent more targets. Quiet moves that flip one or two discs are often stronger.
4. Keep your moves open (mobility)
Aim to have more legal moves than your opponent. Force them into bad squares by leaving them only bad choices.
5. Stay in the middle
Discs on the inside are less exposed than discs on the frontier next to empty squares.
6. Edges are double-edged
An edge disc is stable only when its neighbours are. Don't rush onto the edges.
7. Make your opponent pass
If you can leave them with no legal move, you get two moves in a row.
8. Count at the end
With a dozen squares left, think move by move: the last move in each empty region (parity) often decides the game.
Frequently asked questions
Is it good to flip as many discs as possible?
Not in the opening or middle game. Having many discs early usually gives your opponent more moves. What matters is having more moves than they do, and the final count.
Last updated 2026-10-18