0
You are locked in a battle of wits. Your opponent watches with a smug grin as you reach for the board and make your move. Strategy and planning are essential, because this week's game is Othello!
Game Information
- Game Name: Othello
- Released By: Atari, 1981
- Left Difficulty: B / Novice - Normal game
- Right Difficulty: B / Novice - White plays first (You're white)
- Game Mode: Game 3 - Expert Level
- Chosen By: Robert M
As before, next week's game will be chosen by the next person in the member list, which happens to be Lord Helmet! Please send me a private message with your choice of game for next week! (Already done)
If you are not a member of the High Score Club, but would like to be, then all you have to do is post a score for this week's game, and I'll add you to the list!
Current High Scores
- 55 (Christophero Sly) [+11]
- 53 (MoonlightKnight) [+10]
- 47 (vdub_bobby) [+9]
- 45 (Robert M) [+8]
45 (supercat) [+8] - 43 (SpiceWare) [+7]
43 (silverpoodleman) [+7] - 42 (khryssun) [+6]
42 (shadow460) [+6] - 30 (keilbaca) [+5]
- 24 (scogey) [+4]
- 20 (video game addict) [+3]
- 19 (the 5th ghost) [+2]
19 (Omegamatrix) [+2]
19 (LarcenTyler) [+2]
- Robert M [+2]
- Shutout Superheros - Eliminate all the oppositions pieces from the board, and you win the game by default! Players with the highest amount of pieces on the board at the time of the shutout get bonus points
- 25 (Christophero Sly) [+3]
- 19 (the 5th ghost) [+2]
- 25 (Christophero Sly) [+3]
- 50 (Tom Duncan)
- 21 (Troy Whelan)
- 13 (David B Yancey)
(Easy Mode)
|
|
Member List
- Lord Helmet, Lord Thag, Mad Scientist, Dan Iacovelli, iguana, Luigi301, Gateway, Damon Plus, gospeedde, Kepone, internetotaku, panda_racer, KaeruYojimbo, cyberneticimplant, bjk7382, davepesc, neotokeo2001, xeex, bmlbytes, Omegamatrix, the 5th ghost, Xebec's Demise, khryssun, vgcollector666, chadtower, moycon, Malc74, shadow460, Atarifever, Keir, supercat, FireTiger, Philflound, Fellow Atari Man, keilbaca, brendano, Cybergoth, durden26, sku_u, mitsubachi, arlo, Recycled, LarcenTyler, silverpoodleman, 128bytes, Goochman, Thomas Jentzsch, Christophero Sly, D.Yancey, mrppv666, Mordax, Numan, Mordax, vdub_bobby, Dones, Gamemaster_ca_2003, scogey, graywest, RJ, Voch, video game addict, SpiceWare, Robert M
- Coming Soon
The Manual said:
As always, you really should read the manual.
What's that? You don't have the manual? AtariAge has both a scanned copy and a typed copy online. In case you're too lazy to read the manual, here's the hints it provides:
- A corner square can be extremely valuable since it cannot be outflanked and since it serves as a permanent end in three directions(horizontally, vertically, and diagonally). Try to capture corner squares whenever possible.
- Squares which make up rows on the outside edges of the grid are also valuable. They can only be outflanked in one direction along the edge and they can serve as an outside "end" for three directions (2 diagonals and perpendicular to the edge).
- Be careful when approaching the row next to the outside row. When you capture one of the squares in these rows you become a possible bridge (for your opponent) to a corner or end position.
- A solid block of one color is often the key to a winning game. Another key to winning is dominating the corners of the grid.
(See the manual for some diagrams that I haven't included here)
What's that? You don't have the manual? AtariAge has both a scanned copy and a typed copy online. In case you're too lazy to read the manual, here's the hints it provides:
- A corner square can be extremely valuable since it cannot be outflanked and since it serves as a permanent end in three directions(horizontally, vertically, and diagonally). Try to capture corner squares whenever possible.
- Squares which make up rows on the outside edges of the grid are also valuable. They can only be outflanked in one direction along the edge and they can serve as an outside "end" for three directions (2 diagonals and perpendicular to the edge).
- Be careful when approaching the row next to the outside row. When you capture one of the squares in these rows you become a possible bridge (for your opponent) to a corner or end position.
- A solid block of one color is often the key to a winning game. Another key to winning is dominating the corners of the grid.
(See the manual for some diagrams that I haven't included here)
Robert M said:
Here's a tip: I have noticed that the computer will take the corner as soon as it can even if waiting would yield more captures. So you can make the computer waste its corner moves. Notice in my picture. The computer has all 4 corners, but I control 3 of the 4 sides between the corners.
supercat said:
One of the major keys to the game is recognizing that trapped pieces cannot be flipped. If a row holds -XO-OOX- and you can insert an O at the center dash, nothing X can play on that row can flip your pieces there. On the other hand, if you capture one of the X's then all of your O's may become vulnerable.
I was getting severely skunked. The computer controlled all the edge pieces and much of the board; there were twelve squares remaining: the four corners, the four squares inside the corners, and an edge piece next to each corner. I played an "inside corner" square (no alternative) and the computer took it. I then played the edge piece next to it and the computer had no move. By taking that edge piece, I was then able to take a corner (computer still had no move), and then proceed around the board. I went from being way to scoring a commanding win, making my last ten plays without opposition.
I was getting severely skunked. The computer controlled all the edge pieces and much of the board; there were twelve squares remaining: the four corners, the four squares inside the corners, and an edge piece next to each corner. I played an "inside corner" square (no alternative) and the computer took it. I then played the edge piece next to it and the computer had no move. By taking that edge piece, I was then able to take a corner (computer still had no move), and then proceed around the board. I went from being way to scoring a commanding win, making my last ten plays without opposition.
Christophero Sly said:
Here is a website with a short introduction to Othello strategy.
http://www.radagast....p/strategy.html
I assume that most of the strategy discussed is geared toward human vs. human games, so some of the strategy wasn't entirely applicable when playing against the VCS because the VCS places a high priority on capturing edge and corner pieces. However, I've found that the concept of mobility seems to be the key to winning big against the VCS. In the opening and through much of the mid-game, try to hold a minimum of squares, preferably squares close to the middle of the board. Capture some edge pieces when it makes sense, but don't build along the edges too much. Let the VCS capture most of the board. At some point, the VCS's mobility will be severely limited and it will have to start sacrificing it's holdings along the edges to you. Played just right, the VCS will become so limited in it's choice of moves that you can make 3 or more consecutive moves and win all four corners and the edges without the VCS being able to move.
I'm impressed that the programmer(s) were able to track 64 game pieces and implement some fairly good game logic in just 128 bytes.
Here is a photo that shows the sequence necessary to make a nine-move shutout. [Ed. - See Sly's post on page 3 for the picture]
http://www.radagast....p/strategy.html
I assume that most of the strategy discussed is geared toward human vs. human games, so some of the strategy wasn't entirely applicable when playing against the VCS because the VCS places a high priority on capturing edge and corner pieces. However, I've found that the concept of mobility seems to be the key to winning big against the VCS. In the opening and through much of the mid-game, try to hold a minimum of squares, preferably squares close to the middle of the board. Capture some edge pieces when it makes sense, but don't build along the edges too much. Let the VCS capture most of the board. At some point, the VCS's mobility will be severely limited and it will have to start sacrificing it's holdings along the edges to you. Played just right, the VCS will become so limited in it's choice of moves that you can make 3 or more consecutive moves and win all four corners and the edges without the VCS being able to move.
I'm impressed that the programmer(s) were able to track 64 game pieces and implement some fairly good game logic in just 128 bytes.
Here is a photo that shows the sequence necessary to make a nine-move shutout. [Ed. - See Sly's post on page 3 for the picture]
--Ze_ro
By the rules of the game your winning score is just 13 since you can not make anymore legal moves, but that does seem insufficient for actually wiping the black pieces off the board.
