Shakespeare would have loved it (Othello)

Member Name: scotia1949

Product:	Othello
Date:	13/06/01 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Can be played by all ages, Simple to learn

Disadvantages: Fiddly

Othello is a board game which is striking in its simplicity but difficult to master. It started life in the late 19th century under the name Reversi but was resurrected in its more commercial format and name in the 1970s.

The game is for two players and the equipment consists of a 64 space board, all squares the same colour, and 64 reversible pieces, black one side and white on the other.

The game starts with each player laying two pieces in the centre four squares and from then the game begins in earnest. After the first four are played the next piece must be laid in such a way that it captures one or more of the opponent's pieces in a straight line between that piece and another of the player's own. Any such pieces caught between these two are then turned over to become the laying player's colour. Play continues like this in alternate turns.

It is fairly obvious that at the beginning of the game the first few plays are only like to "convert" one or two pieces at a time, but of course as the game continues the numbers increase. This is where you get to what I think is one of the few downsides to this game, turning the pieces. Remember, you have to turn over all pieces "captured", so later in the game, if you play a new piece near a corner you could be turning over four or five on a horizontal file, four or five on a vertical file and four or five on the diagonal. Next turn your opponent might end up turning most of them back again! Very fiddly.

That said, it's a great game for kids. Although expert players at this are obviously going to wipe the floor with kids, us lesser mortals are almost as likely to have the the dirty done to us. Children are very quick on the uptake and they have a refreshing way of looking at their strategy. I think one of the things about Othello which appeals to them is the element of surpise. It is perfectly possible for one person to be miles ahead until a few plays f
rom the end and then lose the whole game on a couple of turns.

I have never picked up a great deal of the strategy, the only advice that I give newcomers is to try to avoid the four squares one space diagonally in from each corner. Place a piece there and your opponent is likely to gain the corner. A piece in the corner cannot be converted as nobody can get to the other side of it, so these are four key squares.

Othello is an enjoyable game to play and there are also travel versions of it available. I bought one but would not recommend it. If you can imagine trying to play a game involving 64 fiddly plastic pieces, each about the size of a 5p coin, on a board about 4 or 5 inches square, on the table of a train travelling at speed; you get the idea? Don't let that put you off the full size version however, played with the right size set it is an absorbing game and fun for all the family.

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