The word "reversi" is spelled with six letters, with an emphasis on the second syllable. The IPA phonetic transcription spells it as /rɪˈvɜrsi/. The initial letter "r" is pronounced with a slight roll of the tongue. The following "i" is pronounced as a short "i" sound, while the "v" is pronounced as a voiced labiodental fricative. The next two syllables are pronounced with a neutral "er" sound and a short "i" sound respectively, while the final "i" is pronounced with a long "e" sound.
Reversi is a strategic board game played by two players on a grid with 64 squares. The objective of the game is to have the majority of one's own colored game pieces, either "black" or "white," on the board at the end of the game. It is also known by the names Othello or Go-Moku, depending on different regional variations. The game was invented in the late 19th century and has gained immense popularity as a classic board game.
Reversi is played with disks that have different colored sides. Players take turns placing their colored disks on the board with the aim of flipping their opponent's disks to their own color. A player can only place a disk on a square that allows them to flip at least one opponent's disk by surrounding it. This means there must be a straight line of contiguous disks of the opponent's color between the newly placed disk and another of the player's disks. The flipped disks are then turned to the player's color.
The game can be played on various playing surfaces, with differing rules and strategies. It requires thoughtful planning, adaptability, and clever tactics to outmaneuver the opponent and gain control of the majority of the board. Reversi is highly regarded for its simple rules, yet complex gameplay, making it both engaging and challenging for players of all ages and skill levels.
The word "Reversi" is derived from the Latin word "revertō", which means "I turn back" or "I reverse". The game got its name due to the central mechanic of flipping the opponent's discs to reverse their position on the board.