Random little fun-fact I found about Othello:
So, as I was kind of casually searching Google for interesting things on Othello, I generally got two kinds of results. Othello the Shakespeare play, and Othello the board game.
I played the board game Othello with my family growing up. It’s actually a fairly complex strategy game, sort of like chess. For those of you who haven’t played it, here’s a really watered down version of how it works.
- There are two players
- Each player has an equal number of double-sided tiles. One side of each tile is black and the other is white. One player is black and one is white.
- It’s set up on a green board, kind of like a chess board, with little squares to put the tiles in
- The goal is to end up with more tiles of your color on the board.
- The players take turns placing one tile on the board. Black must put tiles down with black facing up, and white must put down white facing up.
- When you when you “bookend” pieces of the other player (or get one of your color on both ends of a straight row, with the opponent’s color in between them), you turn them over, and “capture” them (they become your color).
- You take turns putting down one tile each until the board is full, and then whoever has the most of their color wins. (for a better explanation, click here)
So, I was naturally just kinda curious about whether there was any connection between the title of the game, and the play. I clicked on a link to a Wikipedia page, and discovered that the original game was called “Reversi”, but was re-named by a Japanese game company. It said the following about the the selection of the new name for the game, “Othello”:
“The modern rule set used on the international tournament stage originated in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan in the 1970s: the Japanese game company Tsukuda Original registered the game under the trademark name Othello. The name was selected as a reference to the Shakespearean play Othello, the Moor of Venice, referencing the conflict between the Moor Othello and Iago, who describes himself as "two faced" and more controversially, to the unfolding drama between Othello, who is black, and Desdemona, who is white. The green colour of the board is inspired by the image of the general Othello, valiantly leading his battle in a green field. It can also be likened to a jealousy competition (jealousy being the central theme in Shakespeare's play), since players engulf the pieces of the opponent, thereby turning them to their possession.”
What the?? Who knew? I was totally fascinated that a board game I’ve known about for years actually ties in pretty fabulously with one of Shakespeare’s greatest Tragedies!!
Anyway, just a little side-note really, but I thought it was interesting. J
