Othello-the game

Have you ever heard of Othello-the game? Not the Shakespeare Play. Not the town in Eastern Washington.  THE GAME. I love that game! The slogan is 'A minute to learn, a lifetime to master.' As a child, I was convinced that my dad had mastered the game. He ALWAYS won! ALWAYS. Below is a dramatization of a game played with my dad as a child. I would be lucky to have 7 chips my color on the board. He kicked my trash. EVERY. TIME.

3 years ago I had a cell phone that had Othello on it. I played it way too much and actually learned a few tricks by watching the computer play and beat me. I got kind of good at it and was winning on the easy and medium levels fairly often. This weekend I taught Matthew how to play the game. He's really smart at spacial logic and this game is right up his alley. After we played 5 or 6 games he asked my dad if he wanted to play. It turns out Matthew is better than I thought. For the first time in HISTORY my dad was not beat, but TIED in a game of Othello--by a child! 11 years old to exact. I was so excited I called a couple of my brothers to tell them. I couldn't believe it! My dad REALLY couldn't believe it!  Of course my logic was that since I am the one who taught Matthew, I must be good enough to play my Dad too, and at least tie. OK, so I hoped for 15 tiles at the end of the game. He was a little down trodden so he set the board up as the picture below. NOT a dramatization.

 I fixed it and the game went as follows...See the pictures.

Holy Smokes! I can't believe I have more tiles than he does! 

I'm still doing it! I just might be able to have 15 tiles by the end of the game after all.

BLASTED! I spoke too soon. But wait! What's that I see in the top left CORNER? A black chip! WOAH! How did I get a corner? I've never gotten a corner playing dad in My. Whole. Life.

Oh my word! This game is getting better all the time. Yes, it's true, Dad has the other corner, BUT at this point in the game, I am guaranteed at least 20 (TWENTY!) pieces. Could it be possible that I might win? Inconceivable!

HOLY SMOKES! I'VE DONE IT! I BEAT MY DAD!!! (Don't tell him, but I'm not sure how I did it.)

The poor guy is perplexed!

Here is the board with all the white ones removed so show my awesomness even better. 2 days later I still can't believe I won this game.

Do you remember on Toy Story 2 at the beginning when Rex is playing the Zurg video game? Then when all the toys are at the apartment trying to get Woody to come home and Zurg shows up? Rex fights Zurg and ends up winning? At the end of the movie they are playing the video game again and Rex declines playing because he's already beaten Zurg?  I feel like I never have to play Othello again as long as I live. I've beaten Zurg. I love you DAD!