Six-by-Six Reversi

Six-by-Six

Boards of other sizes are used for simplified games; in particular, a 6×6 board is a common simplification for beginners or for solving the game by computer. All placement, flipping, passing, and winning rules are identical to the standard 8×8 game.

Setup

Board: 6×6 grid (36 squares).

Pieces: A supply of double-sided discs — one side dark, one side light.

Starting position: Place 2 discs of each colour in the central four squares in a diagonal arrangement: one colour at c3 and d4, the other at c4 and d3.

First move: The player with the dark pieces moves first.

Rules

All rules are identical to Standard Reversi:

• Placement: Place a disc so it flanks one or more opponent discs in a straight line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal), with your disc at one end and an existing disc of yours at the other.
• Flipping: All flanked discs flip to your colour immediately. A single placement may flank in multiple directions simultaneously.
• Passing: If no legal placement is available, you must pass. You are forced to move if any legal placement exists.

Winning

Play continues until the board is full or neither player can make a legal move. The player with the most discs of their colour wins. With 36 squares and only 4 starting discs, the game resolves quickly and is well-suited to tournament play in multiple rounds.

Attribution

Six-by-Six Reversi. Public domain variant. Rules identical to Reversi (c. 1883).