Setting your own rules

I played Othello with my father on Friday night , only to realize the game rules were too meek to let opponent win the game. I set my own rules and it turned out to be better for both players. This game set my mind to wonder what if one set his/her own rules for life book.

General Rules of Othello:

Othello is a classic two-player strategy board game played on an 8×8 grid. Each player has discs that are black on one side and white on the other. One player plays black, the other white. The game begins with four discs placed in the center in a square: two black and two white diagonally opposite each other. Players take turns placing a disc of their color on the board, and every move must capture at least one of the opponent’s discs. Capturing happens when a newly placed disc brackets one or more of the opponent’s discs in a straight line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) between the new disc and another disc of the same color. All bracketed discs are flipped to the player’s color. If a player cannot make a valid move, they must pass their turn. The game ends when neither player can move, usually when the board is full. The winner is the player with the majority of discs showing their color. Strategy involves controlling corners, edges, and timing flips to maximize long-term advantage rather than short-term gains.

My Rules: We introduced two twists to the traditional Othello game.

First Rule: Instead of flipping all discs in a straight line, a move only flips one disc to the left and one to the right, creating an L-shaped effect. This means no mass flipping across entire rows or columns.

Second Rule: Only discs placed in the corners have the special power to flip opponent discs diagonally, continuing until another disc of the same color appears.

These changes made the game far more challenging and unpredictable. Every move demanded careful thought, as flipping discs became much harder and strategy more intense. At times, it reminded me of how people in positions of power create rules that complicate life for the common person. It’s only when you recognize such patterns and take matters into your own hands that you can truly navigate and succeed. But do remember don’t wait for it happen, you will have to work out to make it happen that.