Othello,
also known as Reversi, isn't a new board game. Though there is no
formal proof of the origin of the game, people suggested two places
from where Othello was invented. One is from China, by a game called
'Fan Mian', while the other is from Lewis Waterman and John W. Mollett
in 1888, who made this game available. In about 1970, a Japanese
called Goro Hasegawa has developped the modern rules of Othello,
and they are formally adopted around the world now. The rules of
Othello are much simpler than many board games. However, easy to
start doesn't mean easy to play well. That follows a good saying,
'one minute to learn, but a life to master'!
Each
othello checker is black on one side and white on the other. Black
plays first and places a checker, black side uppermost, on any square
on the board such that he 'sandwiches' at least one of his opponents
pieces between the checker he has just placed and any other of his
colour already on the board. Play continues alternately... First
black, then white. If at any time a player does not have a legal
move i.e. there is nowhere he can play that flips one of his opponent's
checkers, he must pass and his opponent plays again. It is possible
to pass several times in succession. When neither player has a legal
move (usually when the board is full but not always) the game ends.
The winner is the player with the most pieces of his colour showing.
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