Othello BoardTrademark and intellectual property rights for the game of Othello have been consolidated under MegaHouse Corporation of Japan, a subsidiary of Namco Bandai. Previously, the game was licensed and marketed outside of Japan by Anjar Co. of Connecticut. It was last produced in the United States by Mattel but currently appears to be out-of-print.

Othello is a variant of Reversi developed in Japan by Goro Hasegawa during the 1970s. The earlier version originated in England and dates back to the late 1800s.

The game is also the subject of a trademark for the phrase, “A minute to learn… a lifetime to master.”

Sponsored by MegaHouse and local licensee John Adams, the 39th World Othello Championship takes place Wednesday through Saturday in Cambridge, U.K.