Verto

A Reversi variant

Material

• Square board (8 × 8 or 9 × 9 spaces)
• 64 (or 81) Reversi stones (one side light, other side dark)

Objective

Have the majority of stones on the filled board.

Preparation

In the beginning the board is empty and the stones are put in reach for both players. The players choose their colors.

Light makes the first move then players take turns.

Play

In each turn a player must try to enter a stone (with his own color facing up) on an empty space.

If a stone is placed such that exactly one opponent stone is orthogonally or diagonally between the entered stone and another friendly stone, then this opponent stone is flipped and becomes a friendly stone. This is called a capture. Now the entered stone must be used as the starting point to capture another opponent stone and so on until no further capture is available.

Capturing is not mandatory, but if a capture move is made, this (and any capture moves which follow) must be made, too. It is not necessary to always follow the path where a maximum of captures is possible.

Dark color to move. If stone “1” is entered, the lower light stone marked with “×” is captured (i.e. flipped), then stone “2” must be entered capturing the second light “×” stone. Then the turn ends. Captured stones are flipped immediately after each step - not all together just when the turn ends.

A capture move is similar to a capture move in Checkers. It is like jumping over one opponent stone, but here no stone is moved and a captured stone is not removed (it is flipped instead).

Another example:

Left side: the dark color to move. There is a threat of the light player to make 4 capture moves (Light would enter 4 new stones and get 4 stones from Dark). So the dark player enters stone “A” (right side) and reduces the loss a bit.

Position after the capture made by the light color in figure 2 (right).

Multiple captures are not allowed. By entering a stone at “1” the player must decide on one of the three opponent stones marked with “×” to be captured.

If no capture is available then a player enters a single stone on an arbitrary empty space.

However, it is not allowed to enter a stone (orthogonally or diagonally) next to a friendly stone if there isn’t also an opponent stone adjacent to that new stone.

Lastly, stones may only be entered on corner spaces if there is another (opponent) stone (orthogonally or diagonally) adjacent.

If a player cannot make a capture and cannot enter a stone, he must pass. The other player will always have a move available.

Illegal moves for the light player. On the right example the light player must pass.

End of the game

The game ends when the board is completely filled. The player with the majority of stones wins.

Dark side wins.

The game on an 8 × 8 board may end in a draw. Verto can be played on a 9 × 9 board (with 81 stones) to avoid drawn games.