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Reversi — strategy & spatial counting

💡Benefits

Reversi (Othello) is a strategy game where the balance of power on the board shifts dramatically with every move. Children learn to plan several moves ahead, judge the value of corners and edges, and limit the opponent's options — training working memory, forward planning and executive function (Diamond, 2013). Because a single disc can change the whole picture of the field, it encourages careful and flexible thinking.

🎮How to play

The board is 8×8. Four discs sit in the centre (2 blue, 2 red/orange). On your turn you place a disc so that one or more of the opponent's discs are trapped between two of yours along a straight line (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) — the trapped discs flip to your colour. A move is only legal if it flips at least one disc (the highlighted squares). If you cannot move, your turn passes. When the board is full or nobody can move, the player with more discs wins. Play vs the robot (4 levels) or a friend.

📚Scientific sources

  1. Diamond (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Executive+functions+Diamond+2013+Annual+Review+of+Psychology

❓Frequently asked questions

Yes, Reversi on MentalMath is free and can be played without registration.
Flanking the opponent's discs from both sides and flipping them to your color develops strategic thinking and anticipating the reply move.
Reversi requires planning against an opponent, so it suits children from about 7-8 years.
When you trap a row of the opponent's discs between two of your own they turn to your color, so a lead can be temporary and the last moves often decide the game.
Yes, it is comfortable on a phone, tablet, or computer; a few games a week is enough to reinforce strategic thinking.
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🧮 See the mental arithmetic lessons too