Funskool's Othello, made in India (item 9611000)Photo: Funskool
A minute to learn, a lifetime to masterPhoto: Funskool
A game for twoPhoto: Funskool
Disc holders keep the 64 discs tidyPhoto: Crossword
Funskool's smaller Travel Othello plays the same gamePhoto: Funskool
Video

Two-player game

Othello

Trap a line of discs, flip them to your colour

2players · best with 2
15–30 minplaying time
8+recommended age
Learning curve
Very easy1 / 5
EasyDemanding
Luck & skill
Pure skill, no luck
LuckSkill
Interaction
High
Set-up
Under a minute
Reading
None

The quick verdict

Full verdict ↓

Great for Two people who want a proper thinking game without a long rulebook

Think twice if You need a game for three or more; Othello is strictly for two

How we rate it

Learning curve. The rules are about as short as Connect 4's: place a disc, flip what it traps. The only tricky part for children is spotting every line a move flips, especially the diagonal ones. Playing well takes much longer to learn, but getting started is a 1 on our scale.

Luck & skill. There are no dice, cards or hidden information. Both players see the whole board, so the better player wins almost every time.

Interaction. Every move flips your opponent's discs, and much of the skill lies in limiting the moves you leave them, especially near the corners.

Set-up. Put the four starting discs in the centre squares, two of each colour set diagonally, and share out the rest. It takes well under a minute.

Reading. The board and discs carry no words. Someone reads the one-page English rules sheet once.

Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.

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Is Othello right for you?

Great if

  • Two people who want a proper thinking game without a long rulebook
  • Children of 8 and up playing against parents or grandparents, since the rules fit in one breath
  • Quiet evenings: a game takes about as long as a cup of chai
  • Travel, if you pick Funskool's smaller Travel Othello

Skip it if

  • You need a game for three or more; Othello is strictly for two
  • Your group wants laughter, talking or luck; this is a silent, head-to-head game
  • One player hates losing to someone more practised; the better strategist wins almost every time

A place on the honours list

Good company to be in.

Recognition from beyond our table.

GAMES Magazine Hall of Fame (inducted)

How Othello plays

The board is an 8x8 grid and the 64 discs are black on one side and white on the other. Each player takes one colour. The game always starts the same way: four discs in the centre squares, two of each colour, set diagonally. Black moves first.

  • Time to teach: about 2 minutes.
  • Reading and language: The board and discs carry no words. Once someone has read the one-page rules, players who share no language can play, which makes it an easy pick when grandparents and grandchildren sit down together.
A game for two · Photo: Funskool

How to play Othello · Triple S Games

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A turn, step by step

  1. 1
    Place

    Put one disc on the board, your colour up, so that it traps a straight line of your opponent's discs between it and one of your own discs. The line can run across, up and down, or diagonally.

  2. 2
    Flip

    Turn every trapped disc over to your colour, in every direction your new disc traps a line. A move must flip at least one disc; if you have no such move, you miss your turn.

  3. 3
    Win

    The game ends when the board is full or neither player can move. Count the discs: whoever has more of their colour on the board wins.

Read the official rules (PDF)Othello - How to play (Funskool India, item 9611000) · English
The full explanation: how a game of Othello goes

On your turn you place one disc, your colour up, so that it traps a straight line of your opponent's discs between the new disc and one of your own. The line can run across, up and down, or diagonally. Every trapped disc is flipped to your colour, and one move can flip several lines at once.

If you can make a flipping move, you must make one, even if you would rather not. If you cannot, you miss your turn and your opponent plays again. In Funskool's rules, if you run out of discs while you still have a legal move, your opponent hands you one of theirs.

The game ends when neither player can move, which is often when the board is full but can happen earlier. Count the discs: the colour with more on the board wins.

The lead swings back and forth, so having lots of discs early on means little. Corners matter most, because a disc in a corner can never be trapped, and players soon learn to avoid handing their opponent a way into one.

What's in the box

A minute to learn, a lifetime to master · Photo: Funskool
  • 1Board
    plastic 8 x 8 board with a disc holder on each side
  • 64Discs
    black on one side and white on the other; both players use the same discs
  • 1Rules sheet
    one page, in English

From Funskool's own product page and rules sheet for the full-size set (item 9611000, barcode 8901383961105): a plastic board with two disc holders and 64 reversible discs. Funskool's Travel Othello (item 9632000) is a smaller set with the same rules.

Where to buy

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How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.

About the editions

Buy the Funskool set. Funskool makes it in India under licence: its product page gives India as the country of origin and Funskool India Ltd, Chennai as the maker. Othello sets from foreign brands are expensive imports. The board and rules are the same, so there is no reason to pay more. Our Amazon.in link goes to Funskool's full-size set.

Before you choose

  • Look for the Funskool logo with the Othello name; Funskool's page names MegaHouse as the brand. The full-size set is item 9611000 and the travel set is item 9632000.
  • Check the label: Funskool India Ltd, Anna Salai, Chennai, with India as the country of origin. The full-size set's barcode is 8901383961105.
  • Check the contents: an 8x8 board, 64 discs that are black on one side and white on the other, and a rules sheet.
  • Sets sold as 'Reversi', 'flip chess' or 'magnetic Othello chess' by other brands are not Funskool's licensed Othello, even when the word Othello is in the title. Many play the same way, but check the brand before you pay Othello money for one.
  • A full-size Othello that costs far more than the usual price is usually an import or a combo pack. Funskool's full-size set is item 9611000.

What reviewers and players say

Othello lives up to its 'a minute to learn, a lifetime to master' line: reviewers say children pick up the rules almost at once, while the fight for edges and corners keeps adults playing for years. Games are short, usually under half an hour, and the lead can swing right up to the last few moves. The catch is that, as in chess, the more practised player wins nearly every time, and beginners tend to flip as many discs as they can, only to see them flipped straight back. It is strictly a game for two.

What people love

  • The rules take a minute or two, so a child can play a proper game straight away
  • There is real depth: edges and corners matter, and players keep finding better moves for years
  • Games are short, about 15 to 25 minutes, and the lead can change hands until the very end
  • A parent can play their hardest and still lose to a child, and counting the discs at the end is good practice for young players

Common complaints

  • The stronger player wins almost every time, so games between unequal players can feel one-sided
  • Beginners grab as many discs as they can and lose them straight back, which can be discouraging until someone explains why corners matter
  • It only works for two players
Based on 7 reviews and discussions

Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.

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Questions people ask about Othello

Is Othello the same as Reversi?

Almost. Reversi is a 19th-century English game, and Othello is a Japanese version of it from the early 1970s with fixed rules, including the same four-disc starting position in every game. Othello is a trademark, so sets that only say 'Reversi' are generic products. Many play the same way, but they are not the licensed Othello.

Who makes genuine Othello in India?

Funskool makes the licensed Othello in India, in Chennai. The full-size set is item 9611000, and our Check price on Amazon.in button goes to that set; make sure the brand is Funskool.

What age is Othello suitable for?

Funskool's box says 8 and up. A child can learn the flipping rule in minutes. The tactics, such as fighting for corners and not grabbing too many discs too early, develop with practice, which is why adults keep playing it too.

Is Travel Othello the same game?

Yes. Funskool's Travel Othello (item 9632000) uses the same rules on a smaller board with smaller discs. Buy the full-size set for home and the travel one for trains and holidays.

Game facts

Designed by
Goro Hasegawa
Publisher
MegaHouse, Japan (owner of the Othello trademark outside Japan); made and sold in India by Funskool under licence
In India
Funskool India Ltd, Chennai (licensed maker)
First published
1973
Players
2
Barcode
8901383961105
Language
No reading – The board and discs carry no words. Once someone has read the one-page rules, players who share no language can play, which makes it an easy pick when grandparents and grandchildren sit down together.
Awards
GAMES Magazine Hall of Fame (inducted)
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.

Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.