From: Fred Maxwell <rockbox_at_anti-spam.org>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004 12:20:12 -0500

BlueChip wrote:
> Yes.
>
> First off, what happened is intended - whether it is "right" or not is
> debatable...
>
> However, EVERY set of rules I can find online (first the good bit)
> agrees with me that the winner is the person with the most pieces
> irrespective of the end-of-game conditions ...BUT (now the bad bit) they
> also ALL INSIST on 'pass' IFF you CANNOT move
>
> This is MAD, I have played Othel(l)o for years (more than I care to
> mention) and I have ALWAYS used the ruleset I coded.

I, too, am an avid Othello/Reversi player and it is desirable to put
your opponent into a position where he/she cannot make a move. When
that happens, the opponent is forced to pass.

 From the rules which were distributed with the 1976 physical Othello
game from Gabriel/Milton Bradley:

"If it is not possible to place a disc that will flip an opposing disc,
the player must pass and forfeit that one turn."

 From the rules distributed with the 1998 Pressman Toy version of the game:

"2. If on your turn you cannot outflank and flip at least one opposing
disc, your turn is forfeited and your opponent moves again. However, if
a move is available to you, you may not forfeit your turn."

 From the Hong Kong Othello Association:

"If there is no legal moves, the player must pass. The opponent can play
continuously until you have a legal move."

Note that the game does not end. This rule is enforced by Microsoft's
Internet Reversi program as well as Yahoo's Reversi. I have never seen
a version of the rules in which the game ends when only one player has
no legal moves.

Regards,
   Fred Maxwell

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Received on 2004-03-01