Reversi 6×6

Reversi 6×6 is the mini version of Othello/Reversi played on a 6×6 board instead of the standard 8×8. The 6×6 game has been mathematically solved (Allis, 1994) — with perfect play, the second player wins 20-16. It’s a great training board because games last 5-10 minutes (vs 30+ for 8×8), and corner/edge concepts apply more dramatically due to the smaller playing surface.

How to play

• 6×6 board. Start with 2 black + 2 white in centre (diagonal pattern).
• You play Black, moving first.
• Place a disc to flank a continuous line of opponent discs (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) ending in your colour.
• All flanked discs flip to your colour.
• If you can’t play, pass. If neither can play, game ends.
• Most discs on the board wins.

Strategy (6×6 specific)

• Corners are kings. A disc in a corner can never be flipped. Owning a corner = ~15-20 disc structural advantage.
• Avoid X-squares. The four squares diagonally adjacent to corners (positions [1,1], [1,4], [4,1], [4,4]) often give opponent corner access.
• Mobility beats material. Don’t celebrate flipping 6 discs if it leaves you stuck.
• Edge play matters more on 6×6. With fewer squares, edges represent a bigger fraction of the board.
• Endgame parity: on 6×6 with 32 playable squares, odd parity means second player often gets last-move advantage.

Why 6×6 instead of 8×8

• Solved game. Computer Othello completely analyzed 6×6 in 1994 (Allis). Perfect play = white wins 20-16.
• Faster games. 5-10 minutes vs 30+ minutes for 8×8.
• Sharper strategy. Corner/edge concepts apply dramatically.
• Good training. Patterns learned on 6×6 transfer to 8×8.
• Beginner-friendly. Smaller board, easier to visualize.

Intermediate strategy

• Stable discs hierarchy. Corner discs permanently stable. Edge discs reaching corners are stable.
• The “wedge” attack. When opponent occupies an edge with gaps, you can force them off.
• Forced moves. Sometimes you make a “good” move only to force opponent into a “bad” reply.
• End-game arithmetic. Late game, every disc matters.
• Computer-perfect play. Top Othello engines reach near-superhuman level on 6×6.

FAQ

• Q: Who wins on 6×6 with perfect play? A: White (second player) wins 20-16. Solved by Allis in 1994.
• Q: How is 6×6 different from 8×8? A: Smaller, faster, sharper strategy. Same rules.
• Q: Best opening? A: Centre control. Black’s first move is forced to one specific cell (the centre diagonal).
• Q: Why 6×6 vs 4×4? A: 4×4 is too small for interesting strategy. 6×6 is the sweet spot.

For other 2-player strategy games, try Reversi, Chess, Checkers, or Connect Four.